such a vibe!! great drinks and asian food for girls or date…read morenight. Service was on point and we our food very quickly. 10/10 spot for ambience and a night out.

I've been to Sago a few times before, but tonight honestly stood out as my best visit yet. The food…read morewas incredible across the board, but what really made the night was the service. Aysha took care of us and was just amazing, super genuine, kind, and attentive in a way that didn't feel forced at all. We showed up a bit hangry, and she totally read the situation, helped guide us through the menu, and made some great recommendations. It really made a difference. The vibe in there is always on point too, great atmosphere. Definitely coming back again, and had to give a shoutout because the experience was just that good. Highly recommend.

for nearly two years, Scout, my orange, husky-looking mut and I have been driving by their…read morenow-shuttered Encinitas location four times a week after playdates at Power Lines Dog Park. every time we do, I think "we gotta back there for another visit." pretty sure CHIKO has aged out of my draft queue. now that I've finally gotten around to finishing the review, they've been closed for months. in the draft, I suggested CHIKO might not be a destination restaurant, but if you happen to be in the neighborhood, it's definitely a place worth stopping by for eats. if you wait long enough, like I did, the nearest ones are in the DC area and probably not worth a cross-country trip. sad.

Post-mortem... I was sad to hear that CHIKO permanently closed their doors at the end of last year…read more It's rare for an East Coast based Asian chain restaurant to migrate to California, but that was what CHIKO did. As noted by its name, this place served a fusion of Chinese and Korean cuisines. Their Encinitas location took over what used to be a roadside diner along N Coast Hwy 101. The seating capacity was less than 40 people which included a few high-top counter spots. At my last visit, I came for a late dinner before their closing time. A large menu was posted on the wall behind the service counter that listed about two dozen food offerings. The items seemed to be comfort food like pot stickers, spring rolls, fried rice, and chicken wings but flavored with unique combinations of seasonings and spices. I started my meal with the Marinated Beef Tri-Tip Skewers which came as a set of three and a Chinese mustard for dipping. The meat was very tender and well-seasoned. I also ordered the Cumin Lamb Stir Fry which the cashier said was medium spicy. After tasting a couple of bites of the noodles from the serving bowl, I agreed that the heat level was moderate, even for my palate. I thought the portion size should have been more for the price. That was my main criticism for both items, otherwise the food was solid for an Asian fusion eatery.

What a great place. I walked from my hotel and it was about a 10 min stroll. I was craving some…read moreAsian food and this is a small quaint place. The food was awesome and so was the service! I had the chili pork dumplings and Mongolian beef. It all came out freshly made and super hot. She recommended the chili pork dumplings and they were fire!! So good. The flavor, spice, and sauce were on point. I would have 5 orders of these. I forgot the pic but I had the Mongolian beef lunch deal and it was also great. Portion was good the flavor was on point, not too much sauce, great spices, The service was quick, the two ladies were so nice and respectful and funny. Great time and meal before I headed out.

I got food to go. We got an appetizer, Hong Kong BBQ pork bun, which neither of us liked. It is a…read morefluffy soft bun filled with pork. We ordered a Pad Thai Shrimp and Thai Drunken combo- beef, chicken and shrimp. These dishes were good. I liked the flavors of the Thai Drunken combo. My boyfriend ate his whole dish, the Pad Thai shrimp, so I didn't get a taste. He said we probably won't order from them again, but it is close by and it tasted good. The staff was friendly and quick. The guy after me asked for hot sauces. So then I knew to ask for them. They didn't offer, but once I asked, they gave them to me.

Went for the first time with my boyfriend, such an awesome place! Our sever Jacob was extremely…read morefriendly, and the food was so delicious, we went back a second time less than a week later! 10/10 recommend :)

Joseph is the best employee ever he deserves the world and more. He's also tuff and let us know of…read moresome specials. Food was stellar. I'm coming back

Ignore all the 1-star reviews. If you want something fast on a Friday-Sunday night go to McDonalds…read more There is a reason things can take some time and why they are always packed - ITS GOOD FOOD (and it's a scratch kitchen where everything is prepared fresh). This is some of the best food in north county. Great vibe, indoor, patio and side walk seating. Just a straight up great locally owned and operated business - nothing else to it - Every dish I've had is phenomenal - Pad Se Ew, Chow Mein, Beef Pho, Pineapple Fried Rice with Curry powder is exquisite, bring a date and split a few plates. Or order for pickup and eat it at home. Eating in wait time for food usually like 20-30 mins (order an app, or a drink and chill). Togo orders usually around 45-90 mins. Thanks for all the hard work and incredible food Birdseye staff!! Encinitas loves you.

Heard a lot of great things about Birdseye and was excited to go for a late lunch l. We managed to…read moreget in right before they closed their lunch service. I ordered pho and my partner ordered a steak plate. Food was good, but portions are small. We ended up eating again soon after. It's awesome that they source locally and use organic ingredients. This is reflected in the price and makes sense why they would charge more than your average Vietnamese or Thai place.

Temaki has quickly become one of our favorite spots, and the experience was made even better thanks…read moreto Gage, Max, and Lily. From the moment we walked in, they were all welcoming, attentive, and genuinely seemed to care about making sure everything was perfect. Gage did an awesome job guiding us through the menu and giving great recommendations. we tried a few things we normally wouldn't have, and they ended up being some of our favorites. Max brought great energy to the table, checking in at the right times and making sure we always had what we needed without ever feeling rushed. Lily was incredibly friendly and detail-oriented, making the whole experience feel smooth and elevated. The food itself was fresh, high quality, and beautifully presented, exactly what you'd hope for from a temaki spot. You can really tell they take pride in both the food and the service. Overall, it was an amazing experience, and Gage, Max, and Lily truly made it stand out. We'll definitely be coming back and recommending this place to others!

Khloe, Peter, Raf, and Jared were everything. Food was insane, vibes were perfect, and the…read moreatmosphere was so good, but the service is what really made it. They made the whole night feel effortless and fun. Had the best time, definitely coming back.

Note: this location is the Carlsbad location and NOT in La Jolla (the menu is different between the…read moretwo). There are a number of reviews and menus we saw online that were for the La Jolla location. We came here on a Friday night. It wasn't too busy and we were able to seat inside. There is no outside seating. We placed our order at the counter and found a seat to sit inside. We placed an order at the counter and the food arrived at our table in a reasonable amount of time. We ordered the tea leaf salad, fried rice, street noodles, and spring rolls. All the dishes were delicious. The tea leaf salad was a smaller portion so keep that in mind if you are eating family style and sharing with others. We will definitely return since everything was delicious. There's a decent amount of parking in the parking lot. They also do takeout as we

Cherry Blossom owners are very hard working people. They are both the cook and the hostess! Wow!!…read moreFriday nights are quiet. Ambiance is clean and decor is bright and pleasant. Food was nice and portions are on the smaller size. Signature iconic Tea Leaf Salad, WANGS, and Veggie roll (fried).

On our most recent visit, we had Josie as a server and she was INCREDIBLE! She was very friendly,…read morefast, and made great suggestions on the menu. Food was amazing as always and wait time on a Saturday night was exceptional for such a great meal. We'll be back! Thank you Josie!

Personally, I LOVED the freshness and flavor present in everything my group ordered for take-out:…read moreteriyaki chicken, avocado-eel rolls, protein rolls, salmon sashimi, miso soup, and Philly rolls. I waited an extra 15min past the estimated pick-up time for the order and the restaurant wasn't that busy at the time for the wait to make sense, but beauty takes time I suppose. The staff appeared friendly and the interior of the restaurant was very laid-back and casual. This would be a fun spot to go for a relaxed sushi dinner.

Pho‑Ever in Encinitas is a total find! I'm gluten-free and usually nervous about Vietnamese spots,…read morebut here the rice noodles and fresh herbs make it super easy to enjoy. Broth is rich, clean, and comforting (perfect after a morning walk on the beach). The spring rolls wrapped in rice paper are light and crisp, and I love that you can customize your pho exactly how you like it. Staff are super friendly and the place has a nice, casual local vibe. If you're around Leucadia or Solana Beach and haven't checked it out yet, do yourself a favor...your taste buds will thank you!

long time regulars at the PHO-EVER in Vista. we were in Encinitas for an event and excited about…read morefinally giving this location a try. very disappointing experience. really one-and-a-half stars generously rounded up to two. it was Wild Card Weekend and the Rams-Panthers game was playing on the TVs. couldn't help but wonder if that was always the plan or if PHO-EVER inherited the space and kept the sports bar feel. that and the two guys running the front of the house were the two pluses. the kitchen was definitely on the way downhill side of the experience. don't usually count so heavily on the photos to tell the story, but in this case the pictures really are worth a thousand words. the Nước Chấm was the sorriest excuse for a dipping sauce I've ever had in a restaurant. all that's best about Vietnamese cuisine, the bright, fresh, balanced flavors was AWOL. sweet, spicy, tangy, salty, and umami were all absent. would you guess the sad little veggie strands were carrots and daikon? the orange color's the only hint. the Chả Giò (egg rolls "filled" with ground pork, carrots, jicama, and taro) were under stuffed and undercooked. the wraps were mostly hollow inside and the wrappers soggy in the middle like they were fried in old oil that was too hot and when the ends were done, the centers were not. the BANH MI (baguette sandwich with grilled pork, cucumbers, pickled carrots. daikon, cilantro, jalapeños, and pâté aioli) described as "loaded" on the menu, would be more accurately characterized as skimpy. the grilled pork had the flavorless taste, texture, and appearance of being lightly poached in water. the PHO GA (chicken breast meat in chicken bone broth) was the most disappointing dish of all. the "soup" part (described as a rich chicken bone broth on the menu) had less complexity or richness than dish water. the "chicken breast" had the flavor and texture of a congealed and formed rolls of chicken in a deli case. sad. sad. sad. ps: the "leftover" pho was on the kitchen island when our nineteen-year-old got home from work. he finished it after adding a heaping spoonful of Better Than Bullion chicken base without either of his parents saying anything. yeah, it needed that much help ...

Honestly, I didn't expect to find this good of Chinese food in Carlsbad, so this was a really nice…read moresurprise. We started with the spicy pot, which came out bubbling hot and packed with ingredients. It had a nice kick without being overwhelming, and the flavors were rich and savory. It had a strong cumin flavor, which makes this dish pretty authentic. Get this dish with rice, the sauces goes well with it. The soup noodles with fried pork were super comforting. The broth was light but flavorful, and the fried pork added a really nice crispy texture that balanced well with the noodles. My nephew likes noodles but without alot of flavor so this dish was perfect for him. The fried dumplings were crispy on the bottom with juicy filling inside--exactly what you want. We also got the steamed chicken with chili oil, which was tender and coated in that classic fragrant, slightly spicy chili oil that adds so much flavor without being too heavy. The green onion pancake was another favorite--crispy, flaky, and airy. It tasted freshly made.

Came here with a big group of 11 people including 5 kids and had a great experience. The staff was…read morevery accommodating and quickly moved tables around so we could all sit together, which we really appreciated. Service was efficient and the food came out quickly even with our large party. Everything we ordered was delicious. The XLB soup dumplings were juicy and flavorful, the pan fried buns had a perfectly crispy bottom, and the green onion chicken noodles were fresh and comforting. The spicy mixed chicken had great flavor with just the right amount of heat. Overall the food tasted fresh, authentic, and well executed. It is not always easy for restaurants to handle a large group with kids, but they made it seamless. Great food and great service. We will definitely be back.