I've been struggling with this review because I so badly wanted to like this place but ultimately I think it was just underwhelming. I was there with a total of 4 people and we ordered 4 appetizers and 4 entrees to share, sharing seems to be the typical way of ordering here. I would assume when a menu is sectioned off by appetizers that these dishes will come first. But all 8 dishes came at the exact same time. It was overwhelming and made it really difficult to appreciate each dish individually. They also don't provide you with place settings but rather these little bowls you eat from, which makes it hard to serve yourself from more than one dish at a time. This is difficult when you have 4 different people eating from 8 different dishes at the exact same time. The Orange-ish Chicken was undoubtly excellent, I wish I just got my own individual entree of this. The Chilled Acorn Noodles were good as well but everything else we got was just kinda unmemorable and not unique. Maybe its because we were served all the dishes together, but everything just seemed to have a "sameness" to them. With this being said, the vibe of the place is great, its lively and provides a sense of community with picnic-style tables lined up packed with people sharing plates. This is definitely a fun place to go. If I come back to this place again its to get the Orange-ish Chicken. read more

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Awesome! We had a little bit of everything: chicken wings, dumpling soup, kimchi soup, rib eye & rice cakes, brisket & rice ... and it was all delicious! That said, the chicken wings and rib eye were a wee bit more amazing than the rest. I leave the U.S. in 4 days and I may have to squeeze in a daily visit between now and then just to get my fix. Why didn't I try you sooner, Chiko!?! read more

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We found the menu kind of off-putting because the prices were pretty expensive, at almost $20 a plate. Then we were surprised when we actually got a dish in the sense that it did not taste either Chinese or Korean and it was funky. We had the fried rice with catfish and it just wasn't that great. We had to eat it pretty slow because there was a lot going on in it - there was sweet stuff like fruit - I think mango and then there was savory which didn't really taste that great either because it was overall a pretty bland dish that had like brown rice which didn't go too well. For the price it was just okay and considering it didn't really taste like Chinese or Korean food we were pretty surprised at this new sort of Asian fusion place that wasn't really anything we were expecting and not for the best either. read more

CHIKO - Fried rice with catfish - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We did the $50/person chef's counter to celebrate a birthday and it was hands down the best meal I've had in DC in 2019. The service is welcoming and attentive - always willing and able to give context and detail to what each dish is and how it fits into the overall experience. We had the pleasure of having the royal menu and I still dream about the duck taco a month later. Split their sake or the beer and you won't be disappointed. They serve food until 11pm at night (12 on the weekends) which is a rare find in DC. read more

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For awhile now, I had been dying to try Chiko (not pronounced chee-ko like I've been doing but chai-ko, as in Chinese Korean). When I found out that there's a tasting menu option for $50, I knew this was how my Chiko cherry would be popped. The Kitchen Counter experience has two seatings (6pm and 8:30pm), with up to four people per seating. Needless to say, it took me a few days of stalking the reservation site before I could snag two seats on a day I want (lots of last minute openings popped up though so totally keep checking if you don't see an open time slot the first time). The Kitchen Counter was a fun experience with way more food than we expected! We ate our way through most of Chiko's menu. First course was a tower of six appetizers in metal bowls. Let me be clear, each person gets a tower. The chef warned us to not stuff ourselves with the appetizers because lots more were coming. I did not heed that sage advice. I was raised to finish my bowl because there were starving children in Africa, and every grain of rice left behind would end up being a pock mark on your future spouse's face. I blame my parents. I also blame Chiko for making such yummy snacks. Next came two separate courses of dumplings, soup, noodles, acorn noodles, cumin lamb, brisket, wings, orange chicken, and so many more. Everything was good, but standouts were definitely the cumin lamb and orange chicken. I'm happy to report that they were still tasty the next day after 2 minutes in the microwave (that's how I cook). Finally came dessert, which was this orange sherbert with candied ginger and basil seeds. Yummy palate cleanser and end to a great meal. Such a great deal for $50! read more

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It's hard to get a table at CHIKO, No matter the time. The easygoing spot almost seems like a neighborhood place, but the Chine-Korean fusion food is out of this world. I've tried both the tasting many and the regular menu and both are so delicious. My favorite dishes are: fried catfish rice. I have no idea why fried rice can be a delicacy, but CHIKO elevates it. Next up, short rib with rice noodles. the rice noodles here are thick, sticky and addictive. I also like their vegetables, which are fresh and crunchy --cooked to perfection. This is the kind of gem that I drag out-of-towners to try because it is so unexpected. Even my mom has liked it! Finally, a last word on their drinks. They are inventive and fresh. I tend to go for the gin and tonic, but there are aothers to try. It's slightly different than the traditional and so good! read more

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Delicious!!!! Definitely try the custard dessert. Love the salmon and string beans and pickled daikon. Yum! Only thing not a fan of has been the brisket--maybe it was on off day. Large portions make for great leftovers. Splurge on the side of furikake butter rice; you won't be disappointed. Easy online ordering and pick up. read more

PORK AND KIMCHI POTSTICKERS $9 *These were pretty tasty, the filling was a good amount and didn't even need the sesame sauce but it tasted even better with the sauce. I would definitely get these again. CUMIN LAMB STIR FRY $17 Wheat Flour Noodles, Caramelized Shallots *Great flavor, the lamb was pretty dry with gristle so I had to spit out some of the inedible pieces and the whole dish was very oily. There was probably 2 tablespoons of oil at the bottom. The noodles were great and I loved the vegetables so maybe I'll try their vegetarian stir fry and avoid the dry meat and oily bottom. I'll definitely try Chiko again but it's not high up on my list. read more

I can't believe it took me a year to get to Chiko because it's so YUM and really easy to get to via metro. You know at the end of Christmas Carol when spoiler alert Scrooge is like "God forgive me for all the time I lost?" Well that's how I feel that it took me so long to finally come here because WOW WHERE HAVE I BEEN ALL THIS TIME?? Since the entire menu looked like everything in the world I want to eat, I asked the employees for recommendations which I typically do since they know what is most popular. Also I figure anything I get will be amazing because hello Chefs Scott Drewno and Danny Lee are so clearly awesome. I ended up getting the cumin lamb stir fry (their recommendation) which was deliciously flavorful and spicy and the double fried wings (because I really wanted to try them) Both were really great and I want to come back and try more things!!! PS everything they post on instagram (@chikofrc) is so quintessentially "do it for the gram" because the food pics are on point. read more

After 20 weeks of COVID-19 imprisonment, I wanted to provide our three top choices for delivery food in the H Street corridor area. This based on quality and how transportable it is. For example, there's a restaurant we love to go to but delivery or pickup of the food is mediocre. So here they are. You can call these awards the Covees. 3. Stellina. I remembered how excited I was when the Stellina pizza and Italian restaurant was close to open. There was anticipation that there's was no way it could live up to expectations. It does, both eat-in or delivery home. I lived in Italy for 4 years and it's very authentic. The pizza is excellent and the combos are very imaginative. I've pasta there that I've loved. We've had Stellina picked up and delivered. The food is wonderful and transports very well. The only reason it comes in third is because of the competition and because the caesar salad I love didn't transport wonderfully. 399 Morse St NE 2. Maketto. This place is the best in the H Street/Union Market area, and maybe Capitol Hill too. We usually pick up Maketto, again, because it's so close. It's wonderfully creative Asian food and everything is good. Special is the bau and any kind of noodle dish. We've never ordered the fried chicken during COVID, but it's our favorite in the restaurant. The dumplings are all good. Their pastries are excellent. 1351 H Street 1. Chiko. This Chinese/Korean place wins the top Covee because of the quality of the food, its creativity and delivery is flawless. It's also pretty affordable. Among our faves are the noodles with chicken conft, crispy chicken spring rolls, and Wagshall's chopped brisket (cooked several ways), and house fried rice. We've never had the smashed salmon, but it sounds great. There are two locations and we go to the one on 8th street, SE. There's also one up in DuPont, 2029 P Street. Congrats, Chiko. read more

Bruh. I was dreaming about the food that I ate here before I even left! At first, I was thrown off by the prices listed on the menu - how does a fast casual noodle/rice bowl place think it's acceptable to charge $17-$18 per item? Barely any restaurant was open at the time of our late night food adventure so we said eff it, the food pics on Yelp looked good anyway. We got the: - WAGSHAL'S CHOPPED BRISKET ($18) - rice with tender pieces of brisket, hot banana peppers, furikake butter, and a soft soy brined egg - Pork and Kimchi Potstickers ($8) - side of Napa Cabbage Kimchi ($3) Seriously, worth every penny. The brisket bowl was so buttery and creamy from mixing the runny yolk and the butter. I can't even put into words how amazing this bowl was!! The flavors, the textures, the comfort you get from eating it - truly worth it. The potstickers were also amazing. I definitely had those moments where I had to pause after my bite to take in how delicious it is before letting out a "wowwww". This meal was the last thing I thought about before bed and the first thing I thought about when I woke up - it's THAT amazing! read more

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First time in town and we found this place to be a great quick dinner spot. The staff and service is awesome , answered all our questions and made sure we knew how to order and secure a seat for our party of five. The menu is interesting and varied I got the fried rice with catfish, very hot and quick! The flavors were amazing . Two others had Kim chi stew . Fabulous ! The lamb with spicy noodles was tremendous Highly recommend this food, more Korean in my opinion. So good ! read more

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I'd had reservations going to Chiko. The menu seemed pricey for a casual place and the exterior is far from welcoming inside. I finally got around to trying it and I am kicking myself for not going sooner! We ordered to go and ate at home, but the food was delightful. The appetizer medley was a mix of pickles, sweet and spicy, and creamy potato salad. The unassuming furikake rice was a surprising treat - I never expected myself going back for more and more. The smashed salmon was was my favorite dish and so packed with umami flavor. Sprinkled with crispy fried shallots, the grilled zucchini and mushrooms were a perfect earthy pairing to the firmly cooked, yet tender, salmon. read more

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I've only dined at Chiko once, but I adore it. I came with 2 friends months ago, and we ordered all of the highlights - chopped brisket (OMG that furikake butter...), chilled acorn noodles, cumin lamb stir fry, and all of the snacks/bonchon. As other have noted, it's Korean Chinese fusion - but Chiko executes in such an inventive, carefully curated fashion. The veggies are fresh, the meat cooked to perfection, and the flavors just work. There really is something for everyone, including plentiful vegetarian options. The three of us have hefty appetites, but even we couldn't finish all of the food.... Chiko also offers chilled makkoli (Korean rice wine) in the can, which you poor into and drink out of small stainless steel bowls like a proper Korean! read more

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Very happy with our choice of Chiko. There is a reason for all the raves on yelp. Our dishes were prepared with great attention to how best to prepare the ingredients to bring out their flavors. The duck fried rice was an addictive umami bomb. That house made hoisin really did it for us. The lamb noodle dish was also great. read more

Exceptional food, quality, and service in a relaxed, fast casual setting. We were fortunate enough to score a tasting menu reservation with our group of 4. Reservations for the tasting menu, at the counter, are $50 pp drinks and tip not included. Below, are a list of the items that we received in our tasting menu. Round 1: Tower of appetizers. (Spring rolls, pickled radishes, picked cucumbers, kimchi, etc.) You will be warned not to fill yourself up on the snacks. Round 2: Acado Salad, Acorn Salad, Dumpling Soup, and Pork and Kimchi Potsticker Round 3: Cumin Lamb, Brisket, Steak on Noodles, Double Fried Chicken Wings and Orange Chicken ::: 5 STAR ROUND ::: Round 4: Sour Orange Sorbet with berries and other things The tasting menu is an exceptional value and an amazing opportunity to sample most of the menu. Getting a reservation is a tad hard to book, but it's worth the wait! The chef is also extremely mindful with food allergies too. Atmosphere: My group had the best time. We chatted with the chef, each other, there was no rush, a casual setting with lots of exceptional food... everyone that we've recommended Chiko to too has had a similar experience and felt the same way... you will too! ;o) read more

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There are a lot of fast casual dining options in DC and plenty of Asian Fusion food joints as well. Chiko is both of those with a main fusion of Chinese and Korean. I came by to try the street corn because I love elote, or Mexican style corn on the cob. It was pretty good but it was a tad too fusion for me. Still, I would've had it again. My husband got other food items and overall, the food just didn't quite hit the spot. Though it was still good, it just wasn't for me. I'm glad many other yelpers are enjoying Chiko though! read more

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I've only eaten at CHIKO once, but it immediately became one of my favorite places to eat in DC! I had the Full Monty (all of the snacks) and the Cumin Lamb Stir Fry. I would HIGHLY recommend both of them. The Full Monty is a must, because it gives you a sample of what CHIKO has to offer. The kimchi and cucumbers are pretty standard for a Korean restaurant, but the daikon, potato & egg salad, clams, and rice & butter make CHIKO a step above the rest. Surprisingly, I thought the rice & butter may have been the best of the sides, but the daikon as well as potato & egg salad are extremely close seconds. As for the cumin lamb stir fry, I don't have much to say other than it was extremely tasty, unique, and made my want to come back. Also, CHIKO is small! Don't come in with a party of more than four and expect to be seated right away. . .or perhaps even within the next hour or two! read more

CHIKO - Cumin lamb stir fry! - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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We checked this place out late on a Sunday evening becaude we love Korean-chinese fusion. Don't be scared away by the prices- they may seem high but it is totally worth it! Easy street parking (check the signs on the side streets), and you order at the counter. We were greeted warmly as soon as we arrived, and the stellar service continued throughout our meal. Here's what we got: Cumin lamb stir fry ($17)- thick wheat flour noodles in a spicy sauce topped wtih caramelized shallots and green onions. This dish packs a punch! A little spicy, but in a good way. The noodles are delightfully "slurpy" and the lamb is tender and delicious. Wagshal's chopped brisket ($18)- delicious pieces of marinated brisket over rice. It comes with a soft egg- break it open and stir in the egg yolk! Also has two pats of furikake butter that you also stir in to melt. This was amaaaazing. Felt like comfort food. Flavors were just on point. Super filling too, with the rice. Sesame custard ($9)- creamy custard topped with sour orange sorbet, lemongrass infused candied basil seeds, candied almonds, fresh blackberries, fresh dragonfruit, and a cookie! This may have been my favorite part of the meal. It is a little pricey but it is huge and definitely enough for two to share. Beautifully presented and delicious on top of that. Overall, 5 stars! We will definitely be back to try the other food. This would also be a great place to meet friends. A casual yet cool ambience. They don't have big tables though so don't bring a crowd. Their tables can comfortably seat 4 (maaaybe 6 if you squeeze) and there is a lot of bar seating as well. Check this place out! One of our new favorites. read more

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I came here on a Tuesday evening with friends. We ordered lots of items from the menu to share with the table. - Chicken Spring Roll - This comes with Chinese mustard, it was an interesting take on spring rolls. I liked how the rolls were fried, but since the rolls were so thin there wasn't much chicken to each roll. - Cumin Lamb Stir Fry - This comes with spicy noodles and caramelized onions. This was my favorite dish of the night, the lamb was very flavorful and the noodles were perfectly cooked. As a table we devoured this dish :) - Orange-Ish Chicken - This comes with candied mandarins and chiko salt. I was disappointed in this dish. The sauce was average, I was not crazy about it... and some of the chicken seemed almost undercooked -_- - Wagshal's Brisket - This comes with soy brined soft egg and furikake butter rice. This dish sounded interesting, but the delivery wasn't right. The brisket was tough to chew... seemed a little overcooked. - Garlic Shrimp Dumpling - This comes with chili oil and minted snow peas. This wasn't amazing and it wasn't terrible, nothing super special about these dumplings. My friends and I ordered at the counter and found a seat while we waited. I ordered a Green Tea that I assumed would be brought to me with my meal. The food took awhile to come out, but once it all came out... I had to walk back up to the counter to ask for my drink. It took awhile to get the attention of staff, their backs were all turned to the counter. I was disappointed in the service overall... I did enjoy the food overall so I would give this place another chance in hopes that the service has improved. read more

Really cool experience overall. There are 4 seats at the counter in the back of the restaurant where the chefs cook. It's past the cash register so it almost feels like a special event. We had the "Royal Menu" consisting a number of appetizers, main dishes, and a dessert to end the night. The name "ChiKo" comes from Chinese + Korean. It was really cool to see the creativity that came with both types of foods. Having grown up with Korean food, it was cool to see how they got creative with the food, but still kept the traditional flavor or appearance of things. The manager explained each and every dish to us in depth and answered any questions we had. It made each dish even more special to hear the full story behind it or how it was created. Out of all the dishes, my favorite part was the Peking style duck that came out with the Mu Shu Pancakes and the dessert. The Royal Menu seems like a great way to enjoy many of the flavors that the restaurant offers on a daily basis. Best of all on top of the tasty food, their staff made us feel welcomed, checked on us constantly, and created a fun and casual environment for us to fully enjoy everything. Apparently they have other locations, one near SD where I live. I'm definitely going to check it out when I'm in the neighborhood. read more

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This review is for the Kitchen Counter experience. If you're lucky enough to snag a reservation at one of four seats at the counter, Chiko will stuff you full of the entire menu for $50 per person. Ok, well not the whole menu--but around 20 different dishes representing their broad range of offerings. This was my first time eating at Chiko and I really enjoyed each dish. Some were better than others, but they were all yummy and creative and beautifully presented. This is NOT a pretentious tasting menu experience. The staff chatted with us about the food and made us feel at home. The pace of the meal allowed us to enjoy tastes of each dish while also watching the chefs do their thing in the kitchen. Do NOT try to finish every dish--you will not make it to the end. You can take home leftovers! We had multiple meals worth of leftovers. Order a bottle of peach Soju and enjoy yourself! read more

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Chiko caught my eye after seeing it in the Washingtonian 100 Best restaurants and pondering how Chinese/Korean food might taste. I was very curious and wanted to try it out myself. I came with my family on a Thursday right when it opened at 5pm. We didn't realize that it wasn't a sitdown restaurant, but more of a fast-casual style of ordering/seating system. We got some recommendations and ordered 5 dishes for the three of us - three appetizers and two mains. Food: Chilled Acorn Noodles - Diced Kimchi, gochujang, and egg. This dish was the most average of them all. It was like a small bibimbap with all the veggies and gochujang sauce but with noodles instead of rice. Pretty spicy with the gochujang. Crispy Chicken Spring Rolls - These crispy chicken spring rolls are so long and crispy! They were like 2.5x longer than normal spring rolls and 2x more crispy, but so hot and delicious. Comes with a Chinese mustard dipping sauce. Pork and Kimchi Potstickers - Wow, these pork and kimchi potstickers were packed with flavor. They were probably the best potstickers I have ever had and the simple dish blew my mind away. Cumin Lamb Stir Fry - The cumin lamb stir fry was the star of the show amongst the crowd. My family loves cumin lamb and this was just a big hit. It was a pretty big dish, so we all got a good amount of noodles and lamb just from this one order. Orange-ish Chicken - This was unexpectedly so good. It is not at all like your normal orange chicken. It is fried and crispy in all the right ways, with a lighter fried coating and served in a pile with mandarin peels, peppers, and garlic on top. So interesting. Overall, great experience at Chiko for the first time. The food was fantastic and I really enjoyed everything. I definitely want to try the counter seating reservations where you try all the dishes for $50 because that sounds like a pretty good deal. Maybe next time. read more

We came here for my birthday and did the tasting menu which I'd highly recommend since you get to try almost everything on the menu. You can also walk-in and order at the counter (no reservations). It is very casual with picnic style tables for walk-ins. There are 4 seats for the tasting menu at the counter. The woman serving us for the tasting menu was amazing and explained everything which was great. It is a LOT of food - I left stuffed. They do have a small selection of wine, beer etc. The first tower that was brought out had a smattering of things including kimchi, potato and egg salad, radishes, cucumbers, cabbage, 2 spring rolls and the best: littleneck clams. Everything was good, but especially springrolls and clams. I tried a taste of everything though. The next course was more food: shrimp and grits were the winner though! There were also potstickers, noodles... Next we had Wagshal brisket, fried rice and rice cakes. All of these were awesome as well. The brisket was really tender and delicious. The added egg made it even better. At this point I was getting REALLY full, but then came the fried chicken!!! This was amazing and super crunchy without being greasy. I had to eat the fried chicken since I knew that wouldn't keep well. Then the dessert was a custard with blackberries and I was very glad it was light. We ended up taking some food home with us. The open kitchen was really fun. I would absolutely recommend this experience, I had a wonderful time! read more

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Chiko appeared on the scene as the next trendy restaurant to try out, so after seeing the menu, I was sold. What I did not expect, however, is that such a pricey restaurant would have such a casual vibe. My jaw dropped as I was stepped into the small space to see a few picnic tables and signaled to wait in line for my tray. While waiting for the food, I was really nervous we wouldn't be able to get a seat because of the crowd. We ended up sharing a table with another couple and it was tough squeezing all of our food into the small area. We ordered the full monty which I was initially excited about - but these appetizer-like dishes usually come free at many Korean restaurants. None of them were that impressive, either. They had a beef tenderloin noodle dish special that was tender and flavorful, though. Overall, I found most of the dishes a little too packed with sodium and had to keep asking for water. The food was solid, but not over the moon. I expected a better ambiance and better service for the price we paid. I probably wouldn't go back unless the prices were lowered or it became a full-service restaurant. read more

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

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This is a must try! I ordered the cumin lamb stir fry and it was DELICIOUS!! I didn't know what to expect but wow was I impressed. My friend ordered the smashed salmon bowl and said the same. Food also comes out pretty quick! read more

CHIKO - Cumin Lamb Stir Fry - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Kitchen Counter Review: Wow, just wow. Stalk the website, make a reservation, do what you have to do because it is such an amazing experience. First time at Chiko - I happened to be perusing the website and saw that the Kitchen Counter had two seats available for the day after Valentine's Day so I grabbed it. Not only is the experience great, but you get to taste nearly everything on the menu in small(er) quantities, so it's perfect for the first-timer. We arrived at the restaurant a few minutes before our 6:00pm reservation - there was a good crowd! And, it's definitely counter service - think Chipotle-style. The Kitchen Counter is in the back of the restaurant, and it's exactly that - a small slice of counter with 4 seats. You are right in front of the action, and on this particular night, Chef and co-owner Danny Lee was cooking, which was awesome! (Note: my husband is a bit spice sensitive, so I'd emailed them previously to see if they could accommodate - it was not a problem at all and Chef was super gracious - he swapped out a few dishes which actually meant we got to try more things and just left the spice off a few of them). They have a small beverage list - since we expected the food to be on the spicy side, we ended up ordering a bottle of Riesling (and then another later!) which was refreshing and went perfectly with the food. Then, on to the show! First, they brought out a "platter" that included turmeric pickled daikon radishes, napa cabbage kimchi, and Sichuan spicy cucumbers on top, and potato and egg salad, two crispy chicken spring rolls with Chinese mustard dipping sauce, and chilled marinated littleneck clams. The spring rolls were super crispy and not greasy at all, and my husband loved the dipping sauce (while it was spicy, it was horseradish spicy, which he can tolerate). We also devoured the potato salad, which had just a slight kick and was so creamy and refreshing. We also loved the clams which had a delicious glaze. We also grazed on the cucumbers, kimchi, and radish - all excellent as well and refreshing, which I knew might come in handy later. Out came our "first course," which was 5 small bowls containing tastes of 5 menu items: the half-a-cado salad, the chilled acorn noodles, the shrimp and grits, the dumpling soup, and the pork and kimchi potsticker (my husband got the wok blistered Chinese broccoli and the charred cauliflower as subs for two of the dishes that Chef thought would be too spicy for him). So between the two of us we tasted 7 courses in this round alone! While I loved each dish, if I had to pick some favorites, I think they would be the shrimp and grits and the half-acado salad. My husband's pick would also be the shrimp and grits. Chef was telling us that was one of the first things that he and co-owner Scott Drewno developed when they opened but didn't put it on the menu until it got cold...even though it was 70 degrees out on this random February night I'm so glad they kept it on! Honestly, I could eat that by the bowlful - the shrimp was perfectly prepared and the grits just melted in your mouth, which the XO sauce adding just a bit of a kick. I also put a little bit of the spice/salt they provided as a garnish which elevated the dish. Next came the "main" course, which included three tastes: Wagshal's chopped brisket, house fried rice, and rib eye and rice cakes. I must admit, I know others rave about it, but I think the house fried rice with the catfish was probably my least favorite dish of the night. Not that it wasn't good - it was - but compared with some of the other flavors I was experiencing, this one just wasn't as powerful. I put some spicy sauce on it and that helped a bit. This is the only dish of the night I didn't finish. I loved the brisket - it was so tender and sweet that at first glance I thought it was pork belly, and the marinated egg just kicked tings up a notch. The rib eye and rice cakes had amazing flavors, and Chef described the noodles as "rolled out gnocchi" which I agree was the perfect description. Now, despite these being small(er) (I say it like that because they are definitely smaller portions than you'd get not at the Kitchen Counter but when added up it's a TON of food) portions, I was starting to get full and honestly thought this was the last course. Nope, then Chef puts down both his double-fried chicken wings and his orange-ish chicken. My husband absolutely loved the flavors of the orange-ish chicken and in my opinion, the wings were some of the best I've ever had - super crunchy, not greasy, flavorful, especially with the sauce on the side. Dessert was light and airy - sour orange custard with blackberries. Honestly, the whole experience was just wonderful. Chef was so engaging and friendly and described each dish as it came out. If you like watching open kitchens, you'll love this. My husband described it as "the best Asian food I've ever had." read more

I've found this to be a great spot to share a meal with others--especially if someone has dietary restrictions--without anybody feeling cheated. For the vegetarians specifically: come here! Get the half-a-cado salad; maybe two of that dish, because it's so good -- great mix of textures. The chilled acorn noodles too. And the tumeric pickled daikon and potato + egg salad. There's a lot to like, nothing is one-note, and you can be satisfied for a totally reasonable price. If you're a pescatarian, the garlic shrimp dumplings are wonderful. Clearly-labeled gluten-free options, too. Staff is so friendly. Drinks selection is interesting with something for everyone, too. read more

We got Chiko delivered for a working dinner recently on the Hill. We probably ordered 10 sides and main dishes and shared them all. This was a great way to try a ton of things off their menu. Everything arrived hot and delicious. My favorite was the orange-ish chicken. The crispy, candied mandarins were new to me and now totally necessary! I also really liked the pickled turmeric diakon. It was a great palate cleanser in between dishes. I also long for an unending supply of their spring rolls with spicy mustard. My only regret was that we only bought one dessert for the group and shared it. Bad choice! Next time I will order my own sesame and lemongrass infused pudding. Not gonna share :) Thank you Chiko chefs and staff for giving fast casual dining a better name! No doubt in my mind I will be back! read more

Chiko is a nearly perfect restaurant (although I always mispronounce it as chee-ko instead of chai-ko)! Capitalizing on the fast casual trend , this place is speedy while providing a solid blend of fusion and authentic Chinese and Korean dishes. My favorites include the wok blistered Chinese broccoli, cumin lamb noodles, egg rolls (the size of relay batons from track and field), and orange-ish chicken. Other folks have vouched for their beef and Korean style rice cakes, kimchi stew, as well as the rice with furikake butter. Try some of their banchan apps, such as pickled daikon, kimchi, and spicy cucumbers. There is some selection of vegetarian items and I like the small but curated selection of adult beverages: I personally always order the makkoli (unfiltered Korean rice wine). I really do wish they had a happy hour, but this place is usually so packed anyway that it would probably be unsustainable. Some small quibbles: Do I wish the seating was more comfortable or plentiful? Of course! However, there definitely seems to be a culture of sharing tables and fast eating when it's busy. And while they're a little pricey as a regular take out option, they have really quick service on the take out front. Overall, fast, reliably good food in the neighborhood. read more

How have I not reviewed this amazing place!? Order delivery all the time. This place saved me during COVID lockdown. FRESH food - killer flavor combos. Always order halfacado salad and blistered string beans (tho recently was slightly disappointed w/ fewer cados!). The prices are kinda steep but not when u consider that I always get 2 meals out of each dish. Recently I ordered the heavenly smashed salmon. Omg - the black bean butter, wild mushrooms & I think caramelized onions (??) create this comfort food situation that's irresistible! Again. - got 2 meals out of this easily. The furikake butter steamed rice - YUM. COMFORT FOOD! Only one thing I've had I was just 'meh' about - the chilled peanut noodles, v interesting flavor but they were over cooked and did NOT travel well the next day - thereby tanking my plans for a good meal on the road while traveling. Boo. BUT -- I seriously love Chiko even tho I still have no clue how to pronounce it! CHI(nese) - KO(rean). ‍ read more

One of my family members saw that I checked in at Chiko, and a couple of hours later asked me what I thought about it. My response: Stupid good. This is what happens when you take a Chef who's been working in fine dining for the past 10 years (The Source by Wolfgang Puck), and stick him into a fast casual restaurant of his making to use all of the skill that he has honed. The result... f$%king delicious. I got three things (all based on Yelp/Washington Post reviews): 1. The "Snacks" (Let's be honest, it's Korean style ban chan): "Chilled Marinated Littleneck Clams" *First off... I have selective reading. I didn't read chilled on the menu... so when the clams came on ice... I was a little thrown off. After all, most of the times when I eat clams; they're hot. They were little morsels of pure deliciousness. The sauce that they were served in... I could only guess what was it in, and I'd likely be very wrong. Soy sauce? Definitely recommend. And to be honest, it was the right amount. 3 of them. The sauce was DELICIOUS but also strong. It was a really nice ban chan. 2. Cumin Lamb Stirfry *Very well seasoned. Noodles cooked perfectly. Nice spice level. Tons of lamb meat throughout the dish. Lamb was cooked well. Only criticism would be... I'm not sure if the cucumbers are really adding anything to the dish outside of a little texture difference. Also... maybe a LITTLE bit more acid would be nice in that dish. Overall, a really lovely dish though. Tom Sietsema said in this review... paraphrasing 'If you can find a better Cumin Lamb Stirfry in the city, let me know.' I agree with his sentiment. 3. Pork Postickers *Perfect in every way. Could eat two portions of those for dinner and call it a day. Love the sauce they're sitting in. Kimchi works well with the dumpling. G-d do I want to do the tasting menu. It's booked out a month now... and you can't really even book it out further right now. It won't let you go book out past Jan. 7th and each day until them is full ;/ Can't wait to go back. It's a bit pricey for fast casual, but the quality is there. Also the service was FANTASTIC. Every single person I dealt with at Chiko seemed happy and like they wanted to be there. The woman coming around the clear the tables, who also got me a box was just about the most pleasant person. Man did they do a good job of finding and training a good staff. Also shoutout to Joe who was super friendly as well. When I was leaving, I watched for a second as one of the prep cooks was julienning what looked to be... maybe a radish of some sort. The knive cut that he was doing was... super impressive. I mean the radish when he was done was literally the size of matchsticks and he was getting a really nice even consistent shape. That sort of things really matters! The knife cuts and the size of ingredients matter so much in a dish... don't even get me started. Also... weird things I care about: *Great ice shape! #YepImAWeirdo *No backs on majority of seats #MetalBenches #Thumbsdown Overall: Love love love Can't wait to go back! read more

I've dined here a few times and always leave satisfied! My favorite is to come with at least 2 other people so you can try more of the menu. I would definitely come here more often but the price points are just a bit high for me. Order at the counter then grab a cool silver table and wait for the feast to come to you. There's a nice selection of drinks too. But the real star is of course the food! The orange-ish chicken is always a crowd pleasing staple for our table. Simple flavors, but it always works! The crispy chicken spring rolls are longer than any I've ever encountered but always arrive hot and crispy. Break em open to let them cool down faster! The mustard sauce on the side gives it a great kick. I recommend getting the 6-dish snack platter combo so you can get a bit of everything and decide which snacks you like best to order for next time. My favorites are the tumeric pickled daikon and the cabbage kimchi. All of it is worth it to try though! I look forward to trying even more of the menu on future trips! read more

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Definitely in my top five for DC dining. My wife and I tried the "eat the menu" tasting earlier this week and it was worth every penny. The staff was very friendly, attentive, and did a great job describing each course. They started us off with a tower of various palate cleansers and sides, which included a delicious potato salad. After the second course we were stuffed, but we pushed through for more food which included a delicious dessert. Our favorite dishes were the lamb noodles and the fried asparagus. We went home with plenty of leftovers. I would recommend a light lunch if you are coming for the tasting menu dinner experience. Also, some of the co-owners are involved with other DC restaurants like Mandu and Matchbox Pizza. read more

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I'm thrilled there's a place in the DMV that does Korean fusion well. Overall outstanding service and solid flavors, but loses a star for value and atmosphere. The server was very attentive and brought out small bowls without being prompted to when she realized we would be sharing everything. I enjoyed all the dishes we tried (list below) but I felt the entrees could have been in the $14-$16 price range given the portion and lack of ambience. Pictured below: Pork and Kimchi Potsticker ($9) Cumin Lamb Stir Fry ($17) Rib Eye & Rice Cakes ($18) Wagshal's Chopped Brisket ($19) I recommend starting your evening early if you're dining in, as there is limited seating and the tables fill up fast especially on the weekends. Will definitely come back to try the tasting menu. read more

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For my boyfriend's birthday I snagged us reservations at the "kitchen counter", 2 of the 4 reserved seats facing the open kitchen. Let me tell you for $50, you get more than your money's worth. They start you off with a snack tower (pictured) which includes spicy cucumbers, clams, spring rolls, kimchi, etc. Spicy cucumbers were our fav but everything was delicious and hard to resist knowing there was more to come. They say you won't leave hungry...and they mean it. From the snacks we were given two massive "courses" small bowl after small bowl of all things Chinese/Korean. The stand outs: orange-ish chicken, lamb stir fry (not part of the regular counter menu but my boyfriend doesn't eat pork so he had this as a substitute and it was soooo delish), pork pot sticker and the half-a-cado salad. So many familiar flavors in there that hit the spot, and then some interesting new ones that were memorable (like the catfish fried rice). Some of the reviews I read said that it was a little pricey...well the counter is well worth the pricetag, it's actually more like a steal. If you can snag a reservation I would reccomend it! The staff is friendly and accommodating, and the restaurant has a fun, casual vibe. read more

CHIKO - snack tower at the kitchen counter, CHIKO - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Extremely impressed with everything we ordered for takeout! Duck fried rice: 5/5, unique flavor and huge pieces of duck Orange chicken: 5/5, the splash of citrus and light breading was incredible Green beans: 4/5, good flavor just wished they were cooked more Bulgogi stir fry: 3/5, rice cakes were delish as was the bulgogi but maybe it's unfair to say the level of spice was just too much to handle To note: service was also amazing. Our order came out 5 mins after the "ready" time and they threw in a side of vegetables and daikon! read more

4 1/2 stars. Korean/Chinese fusion at its best. His hidden spot in dc is a great place to try different takes on Asian cuisine at reasonable prices. My favorite dish was the lamb noodles. It really had good flavors. I just wished it had a little more lamb in it. Other dishes that were good was the orange chicken( remember to dip it in sauce), kimchi stew, dumpling soup, and shrimp and grits ( more like congee). The place is super casual and service was quick. Overall definitely a place to check out! read more

I just realized I did not write a review for CHIKO. It has been awhile since we went; it was some sort of crab week at the time. While I don't remember all the plentiful dishes we tried (and took home), I remember an incredible experience at the chef's counter. The best way to describe the chef's counter is having an intimate dinner with another couple in what can only be described as the kitchen in your local hole in the wall Chinese place.... AND ITS AWESOME. Chefs counters always have a classy feel, so I loved this ambience. The other part of the experience is the host. While I forgot his name, he was enthusiastic and engaging as he entertained us throughout the entire meal. And while I can't remember exactly what I had, I just remember that it was all delicious. Please go and experience this. read more

Chi || Ko stands for CHI(nese) KO(rean) and is a snack restaurant with Chinese and Korean food. It is consider a local favorite. Inside is small but big enough to have tables to eat. They are definitely are busy! The menu consists of snack items and most items are $10 and under. There are a few items that are over $10 but still under $15. Food comes out quickly in cute bowls. We had a variety of food to try out. I don't remember all the dishes but I took pictures of them all. We definitely had all their snack items, which is all $3 each - Chilled Marinated Little Neck Clams, Steamed Rice with Furikake Butter, Napa Cabbage Kimchi, Sichuan Spicy Cucumbers, Turmeric Pickled Daikon, Potato and Egg Salad. We also got Half-A-Cado Salad, which is listed as Citrus Soy, Breakfast Radish, Crunchy Almond Slivers and is $9 but I remember cucumbers, avocado, and lotus root in the dish too; Double-Fried Chicken Wings. which is listed as dry spiced, and is $9; and Peel & Eat Shrimp, which is listed as Garlic XO Sauce, Chili Lime, and is $11. My favorite was the Half-A-Cado Salad. The Sichuan Spicy Cumbers were really good too, along with the Turmeric PIckled Daikon. Definitely a great casual eating place to come chill. The music is loud but gives you a modern, young vibe. I would come back. The staff is great and very attentive. 149/2017 read more

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