What a great little place. Awkwardly settled in a modern design downtown strip mall, this little dining establishment is adorably decored, staffed with amazing people, and they're fried Chicken is the long. I got the mixed plate which gave me a thigh, a wing, and two tenders. The accompanying pickles are positively delicious. The sauces are made in-house and totally fire. You got to try the aoli. The fingerling potatoes are tasty and cooked perfectly, and I cannot wait to dive into that beautiful cookie. I can't express how grateful I am right now, so I found a place with delicious gluten-free fried Chicken. And at a truly Fair price. I will be back again and again and again read more

Pikunico - Mixed plate - 1 thigh, 2 tenders, 1 wing, + House made pickles. I also got some fingerling potatoes & a cookie to finish. - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Pikunico is what happens when fried chicken goes to art school but still remembers where it came from. I came for the chicken and stayed because every bite made me pause for a second. Crispy, juicy, and somehow not as heavy as fried chicken usually feels. It's the kind of meal that makes you think, "Maybe I should eat better," while actively eating fried chicken. The place is small, the menu is focused, and nobody is trying to reinvent food with foam or tweezers. They're just making really good chicken. It gets busy at the Row, but that's because people have figured it out. You walk in hungry and walk out wondering if it's too soon to come back tomorrow. I left full, happy, and with exactly zero regrets. read more

What a hidden gem at the ROW DTLA! Stopped by with some friends and I tried the golden chicken sandwich, which consists of Japanese style fried chicken on a golden turmeric bun, picked daikon, water grass, alfalfa spouts, lemon aioli, and miso jam. You can make it spicy for an extra dollar. The sandwich was absolutely amazing - the chicken was so juicy and flavorful and everything from the bun to the sprouts and pickled daikon inside made it such a yummy burst of flavors and textures. 2 hour free parking at the Row parking structure which makes visiting convenient! read more

Pikunico - Golden Chicken Sandwich - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great spot for a quick bite while shopping at the row. The chicken sandwich is a unique twist on spicy chicken sandwich that uses a Japanese cutlet and is loaded with sprouts and pickled daikon. Spice is a good level but it is extra $1. It's on the pricier side for the portion and also got the potato wedges which were basic even though it was supposed to have nori salt. Friendly service and inside has plenty of room to sit and a few tables outside. Glad I was able to try it! read more

Pikunico - Spicy chicken - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I was super happy today to see that Pikunico is still here at the Row. My go to combo is still the classic with the lemon aioli and it did not disappoint! There's a lot to be said about consistency and after all these years, I still love their food. As per usual, the place was clean and cheerfully lit, and the food came out fresh and tasty! I just happened to be short on time today, and my order came up really fast. Now that I'm working in the area more often again, I'll definitely be back! read more

Pikunico - The Classic and a Ginger Onigiri - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Incredibly mid, like nearly everything else at The Row. Service is insanely slow due to being understaffed and the food was not worth the wait, in my opinion. FRIEND CHICKEN MIX: 3/5. The chicken was not seasoned, and while the texture on the tender was okay, the wing was dry. The spicy chili oil and pickles helped a little. MUSHROOM BALL: 3/5. Kind of hard, yet chewy, and the soy glaze smelled better than it tasted. read more

Pikunico - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I really enjoyed Pikunico! The food felt fresh and healthy, with clean, simple flavors that I really liked. I also loved the interior--it has such a nice, welcoming atmosphere. Being located at ROW DTLA with free parking is a huge plus, especially for a quick and easy lunch. Definitely a great lunch spot! read more

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Not very good chicken, seems most people eat here be cause they couldn't get into the other restaurants due to wait times. The tenders are a bit overcooked, and service is quite slow due to them having 1 cook for the entire meal service. read more

Pikunico - Maneki Wanko sake - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Sorry no pictures but the spot was cozy and clean. We had fried chicken combo with a wing, a boneless thigh and 2 tenders and a side of white sweet potato with crème fresh and pistachios. Wings were tasty and crisp. Sweet potato was tasty, ( I'd never had a white sweet potato before) read more

Personally, this place was SO HARD to find that I had to check Google Maps and phone-in to ask where in the world is this place?! The worker answered the phone with the greeting, I asked where they are located, and strangely the worker saying "Hello?! Hello?!" and hung up. I would have appreciated if you said you don't understand! I later found out the person didn't speak English well and only understood how to take orders/ speak the menu... because he was the person who was also taking orders and I noticed he was ignoring all the phone calls while I was in line and could tell the limited English when I placed an order with him. This place is definitely understaffed because this man was handling the huge line, but expected to answer phone, and also give the food to customer. I came during lunch hour. The line was very long and the wait for the food long but I was pleased with my food. I ordered the chicken sandwich. The sandwich was nicely made and neatly packed with alfalfa sprouts and pickles. It was delicious. The downside was the experience and the price for this sandwich is pricey! I would only come back if I were in the area. read more

Pikunico - Chicken Sandwich - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Pikunico had one of the most unique chicken sandwiches I have ever had! This was an adorable store, with lots of natural lighting and plenty of tables and booths. You order at the cash register and pay before finding a seat. There was a short line on a weekend afternoon, but it moved quickly. The food took awhile to arrive, but this was understandable, as there were only a couple employees. I tried the roasted beets salad, with yuzukosho marinated beets, broccoli, and tamari walnuts. It was a perfectly standard salad, nothing too remarkable. The golden chicken sandwich, on the other hand, was truly memorable and unique. Just the shape of the chicken sandwich was really interesting: it almost had the cylinder shape of a burrito. The sandwich features a perfectly fried chicken on a turmeric bun, with pickled daikon, watercress, alfalfa sprouts, lemon aioli, jalapeño and miso jam. I really enjoyed the freshness of the daikon and sprouts with the juiciness of the chicken. The sandwich was gone way too quickly - every bite was filled with flavor! I can't wait to visit again and try the fried chicken on its own. read more

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My gf and I unexpectedly visited Pikunico for the first time and were impressed! We weren't familiar with the menu because we planned to go to Pane Bianco, but they close earlier than we expected. We ordered the Golden Chicken Sandwich. It was packed with ingredients and bursting with flavor. We both enjoyed the strong pickled/vinegar flavor and agreed that neither of us have had a sandwich that tasted like quite like this. It has a lot going on, but comes together to make it a unique and tasty sandwich. The chicken karaage inside of it was well seasoned, but not particularly special. If not for the $1 up charge, I would've ordered the sandwich spicy. Overall I liked Pikunico, but it does feel a bit expensive. read more

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Da Bomb! Best Japanese fried chicken! If you been to Japan and had the karaage from the small take out places or even the popular Japanese convenience stores this place delivers. So Japanese and so delicious! Perfectly fried to perfection - thighs, wings and tenders. You can make it spicy too with a number of their dipping sauces and fresh slaw and side salads. So Jappy! So Good! Even beer and sake to have your little fried chicken picnic with. Super nice owner and staff. I'd eat here weekly if i was nearby! Cool interior seating and plenty of outdoor seating at ROW DTLA to take your fried Chicken karaage picnic to nosh on!. note serving size leans toward the Japanese sized serving as the quality is high here (organic and fresh) and fried fresh. Perfect not oily or greasy. It's about quality here not quantity. Perfect to fill your belly without guilt feeling like you've eaten too much fried greasy food. Fresh Yuzu lemonades too to freshen up the palette! Prices are very reasonable too. Plenty of parking at ROW parking structure. read more

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Such a yummy spot located in the beautiful Row DTLA! I was craving a solid chicken sandwich and Pikunico exceeded my expectations with their spicy golden sandwich! Great amount of heat and the fresh sprouts and pickled veggies inside gave this sandwich so much flavor. The fries were also scrumptious. Excellent customer service. I would most definitely come back to try more off of the menu. Highly recommend! read more

Pikunico - Interior - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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In downtown LA there is this very hidden, isolated, secluded restaurant that you probably couldn't find with a NASA Interplanetary Navigation System. Yes, that's how "Phantom" Pikunico Japanese restaurant is. Tucked away on South Alameda Street this small cafe / bistro is making unbelievable -Sandwiches, Salads and Rice Bowls. Their entire menu is a "Hit Parade" of unusual yet delicious Asian fare. I had their: * Golden Chicken Sandwich Fried chicken on golden turmeric bun, pickled daikon, watercress, alfalfa sprouts, lemon aioli, jalapeño and miso jam...... that was the most remarkably eccentric sandwich I've ever tasted; and I mean that in the very best of ways! This sandwich had more things going on ingredient wise, so I would definitely call it a - Flavor Bomb". Pikunico was so clean and sterile I was duly impressed. These nice young people working here added to your experience in this small but yet very fantastic hidden gem. read more

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Hidden gem located at the Row DTLA I stopped by here after shopping for some stuff. There is a lot of seating, and the staff was kind and friendly. The decor is so cute, lots of sunlight from the big windows. We got the golden chicken sandwich but made it spicy. The sandwich came out quick, it was nice and hot. The chicken was so crispy and inside was so juicy, it was perfect! it was actually spicy too! Nothing crazy spicy tho. I would def recommend coming here if you are in the area! read more

Pikunico - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Stopped in for a quick dinner and had an overall solid experience. The chicken sandwich was served on fresh bread, with a nicely crispy piece of chicken and well-balanced layers of flavor from the sprouts and pickled vegetables. While the flavors worked well together, I did wish the chicken was more consistent from bite to bite. We also tried the spicy wings, which were enjoyable and had a pleasant crunch, though I wouldn't have minded them cooked just a bit longer. The heat level was there, but they could have benefited from a bit more depth of flavor. Overall, this is a decent spot offering reasonably priced food and a satisfying meal. read more

Pikunico - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Super flavorful and crispy chicken sandwich! I typically always choose the spicy option if it's available, and while I enjoyed the spicy version of the Golden Chicken Sandwich I think it would have been plenty flavorful getting it the regular way. The pickled radish and micro greens help cut the fried chicken. Friendly, quick staff and the tables are small but enough for a quick bite like this. Would come again :) read more

Pikunico - Golden Chicken Sandwich (spicy) - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Cute casual eatery with decent service but the chicken is a miss. Ordered the mixed chicken pieces and the thigh and tender was incredibly small while the wing was a full size. There is no seasoning in the chicken, just chili oil. read more

I've seen this place a few times when coming to the ROW, but never actually stopped by. Glad I did! It's a super cute place to come to, and has a delicious chicken sandwich. The interior is comfortable, the wait not super long, and it's hard to go wrong with the menu. It's a sort of hybrid Japanese-American fast-casual. Slightly more sprouts than I tend to like, but that's ok, it's good to eat healthy. Pikunico by nature is in THE ROW, which means you have super convenient parking (there's a lot right across from the...street). Parking I believe is even free for an hour or two. There's also an assortment of super cute shops you can explore and meander through after you're done eating. read more

The chicken was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and I really liked the addition of alfalfa sprouts and these sour pickles. It gave the sandwich a nice twist!! The location is also very convenient since there's a big parking structure behind it with 2 hours free parking, and the spot itself was clean and quiet. I think it's definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. read more

Pikunico - Golden Chicken Sandwich - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Chicken was really good, and the ambiance is really cool too. No complaints. The staff was really nice too.

Delish food and in a large are with lots of shops if I'm in the area I would go again. Customer service was spectacular.

3.5/5: The food was great as the chicken sandwich was flavorful and filling and the salad was nice and fresh. With beer options I have not seen before and nice sweets for after your meal. The interior design is nice but it could be cleaner as many tables were dirty and no one was coming by anytime to wipe them down. read more

Pikunico - Miso De Leche Cookie GF - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Soo empty, fast service. You kinda get the place to yourself. Okay portion for the size. The sauce is a bit runny, lemon aioli is really lemony. The tenders were lighter than I expected and small pieces. The chicken is moist, but some pieces may be a bit pink. Nice crunch, not a typical fried chicken strong flavor, more mild. Spicy oil is good seasoning, not super spicy though ( like cayenne/smoked paprika with msg) read more

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Hands down worst chicken sandwich I've ever had in my life. There's a lot on it and no flavor at all. For $17 I would like to actually taste the flavor. I usually get the salmon unigiri, which is also dry but tolerable. The only reason I'm giving 2 stars is because the workers are SO NICE. They are very patient and friendly. read more

Overpriced and just mediocre. I ordered my food at 1:11pm it's 2pm now and there's still 15 people ahead of my order. I see maybe only 5 staffs working the restaurant with 60 people inside almost all of yuri waited at least an hour. For the price, this kinda service will be My last time coming here and I asked the people here are mostly people who couldn't get a table at other restaurants. read more

This place took forever. We order the chicken combo, beet salad and fries. It took almost 30 minutes to get our order and by the time we got it the order was soggy because they packed it to go. They also didn't give any sauce for the chicken tenders. The place itself was hot inside and the tables were dirty...literally no one ever came around to clean. Skip this place. Not worth it. Also, I got a response from kuniko@pikunico.com saying she would send a giftcard for the troubles I experienced about three weeks ago but have not heard from her since and never received a giftcard. read more

Located in Row DTLA but on the other side is Pikunico, a really cute, quaint and charming small restaurant with hearty service and an easy menu which I appreciate. The fried chicken was battered very well and a good size to share. Light, fluffy, crunchy and crispy! read more

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Fast casual Japanese Fried Chicken spot in The Row in DTLA. Friendly staff that gave reccos when we had to pick a sauce for the tenders. The fried chicken that is GF is cooked perfectly. I really like the fact that the salads came in different sizes which meant I could get slaw while my mom opted for seaweed. The Japanese yam was super delicious, perfectly steamed topped with sour cream and pumpkin seeds. read more

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Finally got to try this place after seeing it on buzzfeed and it was worth the try! As they said in the video, the bread was soft and squishy, the sprouts were great, and the chicken was juicy. It was very light compared to your average chicken sandwich. To add spice, they used chili oil added into the sauce, but I wish there was a little more spice to it. read more

Pikunico - Spicy Golden Chicken Sandwich - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

chicken was good ... worth the price... questionable.... but now a days there are so many of these places popping up and selling overpriced hype . read more

Pikunico - Chicken Bowl with seasoned egg, picked veggies and ginger rice . $16.50. added a ponzu sauce on the side for .50cents. - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I came here for lunch and ordered the Golden Sandwich. It was pretty good overall, but for my taste, it had a bit too much basil sprout and jalapeño. The fried chicken itself was delicious though next time I might just order the chicken on its own. I also tried the potato fingerlings, and they were just okay. For now, I'm leaving my rating at 3 stars. If it had just been the chicken, it probably would've been a 4, but the sandwich and potatoes bring it down to a 3 for me. read more

came here on a weekday afternoon past the lunch rush, really chill. staff was super friendly. I had veggie curry (which was DELISH... the shiitake mushrooms tasted like they were marinated in sake, the veg was fresh, the curry flavor was really rich & the brown rice was well cooked). I also had the beet salad which had the freshest juiciest beets with a really delicious olive oil? dressing. so good I drank the last of the dressing :D. my hubby had the chicken sandwich which he ate so fast I couldn't take a pic :). def recommend for a quick nutritious lunch. 2hrs free parking in lot. read more

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One of my friends recommended Pikunico for our ladies' night, so our group of five had dinner there last Thursday. We arrived past 6pm and it wasn't busy. We grabbed a table inside; there was no outdoor seating. You have to order at the counter, and they bring out the food quickly. The restaurant is small, but bright, open, and decorated festively for the holidays. Since it was my first time at Pikunico, I wanted to try a classic item and ordered the regular Golden Chicken Sandwich. The ratio of chicken to bread and filling was good for me. The chicken was crispy, the greens provided freshness, and the chilis added a nice kick. The bread was a bit dry for my taste, but it didn't deter from the overall sandwich. Also, I bought a Miso de Leche Cookie to take home. It's a sandwich shortbread cookie with sweet & salty filling; shaped like a star for the holidays - it was a pleasant & tasty surprise! Pikunico has some interesting fusion items on their menu, so if I'm in the ROW DTLA area in the future, then I wouldn't mind visiting this place again! read more

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Was filming here over the weekend and the caterer is not allergy friendly. Looked on find me gluten-free app and red great reviews for people who have celiac disease. I had the fried chicken in the bowl the first night and it was bomb! The fries were full of flavor and perfectly cooked. Coconut chocolate chip cookie and brownie was out of this world! Of course gluten-free. I'm the medic for film set so if I get sick it's not good at the Medic needs a medic, you know?! lol Everyone that worked there was friendly and nice great vibes ! read more

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We came here and got the Golden Chicken Sandwich which was a flavor packed unique sandwich! I personally loved it. Has a nice little kick with the jalapeño but wasn't too spicy. The staff is super nice and they're great with recommendations! The spot is cute although a little hard to find in the maze. I've gone back twice and it's been 5/5 each time!! read more

I tried the Golden Spicy Chicken Sandwich! I liked everything except the spicy sauce. It dominated the flavor and made the sandwich messy. I tried the sandwich without the spice and it was a lot better! read more

Pikunico - Golden Spicy Chicken Sandwich - Japanese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The overall experience was interesting. I felt like it had a lot of LA influence with healthier alternatives, but I guess the sandwich was the most interesting part. Lot of different flavors and pickled ingredients. The chicken sandwich wasn't bad but my only concern was was the size. It's a typical LA size for LA prices and even got extra food and was still hungry. I got the salmon onigiri which was more rice salmon. The service was not bad but the ambiance made up for the interesting sandwich experience. read more

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Was excited to try Pikunico. Was told our food would be ready in 10-20 minutes. Checked in food in 30 minutes and said it would be 5 minutes more. Checked and told it was going to be 3o minutes more???? I understand that you have to wait for food but give a realistic estimate and I can make a choice if I want to wait over an hour and a half for fried chicken. - and cost me $10 in parking read more