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.

Stopped by this small dumpling shop in Encinitas to try their all you can eat menu with some…read morefriends. We ordered a few dishes including the spicy chicken wonton, cucumber salad, sweet and sour baby ribs, and Chinese churro for desert. The service was a bit on the slow side but the food was of high quality and freshly prepared. The XLB was stuffed with meat as were the wontons. The AYCE menu likely makes sense if you have three or more in the group, otherwise an individual would likely be full after just one order. Overall a great spot for dumplings in the Encinitas area.

Just ate here for my first time. Brought the family to try a local dumpling bar. I was seated…read morequickly considering how busy they were. Which was so nice. Our server was a young lady with big glasses. She was what ruined the experience. Short, not very helpful on the menu and didn't make any extra comments regarding service or questions about the menu. She genuinely just didn't seem happy to be working there. Being an owner of a restaurant, I must say I was blown away by how she served, not well. Food was decent. Nothing special or that I'd rave about to a friend. Kinda bummed considering we live relatively close and it would be convenient to come back often. The AYCE was nice as a fixed price for the whole menu. But again, food was just okay. Sorry I hate leaving a not so great review but this one is well deserved.

Ordered Orange Chicken and chow mien. The food was so delicious I forgot to take a picture of it…read more However, I give a 5 star because it was very well flavored and cooked. I did have a hard time understanding the employees as their English wasn't that good. Service was fast and the food was very good.

I have been going to and supporting this restaurant since they opened, and up to last week have…read morelived their food. My family got take out last week and as I was eating I nearly broke a tooth in something very hard in my food. Turns out is was a fairly large piece of gravel! How the heck does gravel get in to your food. Needless to say I won't be going back there any time soon. There is no way gravel is present in any of the ingredients, so how it got there is beyond me. Looking for a new Chinese place for the new year.

It's really, really hard to find decent Chinese in San Diego. This spot has amazing food…read more Restaurant is clean and service was very nice as well.

Sooooo fast. Great lunch specials and they packed everything so nicely to go. And the restaurant…read morewas clean, spacious and calming to sit and wait for my food. Which wasn't got very long at all. Love the red chairs and watching the kitchen workers. JUST GO HERE.

I love coming to this location, the food and service is always great. Our server Joseph was…read moreattentive and kind. I recommend trying the cow character buns and churros!

The food was sooo good, tasty, flavorful. Vegan noodle…read moresoup- the spinach noodles and creamy coconut broth and so many yummy veggies are the best way for me to get my daily veggies! The adorable chicken bun was delicious. Service was friendly and efficient! Ambiance was perfect for the 5 of us, including a baby. We sat in the back section with other families. Definitely will go back!!

Very delicious almond shrimp! The service was excellent …read more We did make a reservation though! The egg rolls were vegetable, The presentation of the dishes was exquisite! It is very pretty with class ! They have cloth napkins. There is are beautiful booth wall designs. Parking is fine. They have huge Roosevelt parking. They serve beer and wine! The next time I will ask for tea! We bought almond cookies for later

Tofu was not crispy $28 big portion sauce was ok. But the veggies were fresh…read more Sweet n sour shrimp delicious crispy great sauce $28 okay portion. Both come with white rice. My order came with a barely full container of old super overcooked rice that definitely wasn't made well. One big clump I will come back because it wasn't awful and I'd order other stuff bc of the potential. Definitely pricier

Everything was amazing! It was the best meal I've had in a long time, our waiter Jon was excellent…read moreand recommended the best dishes! 10/10, no notes!!

Sydney was awesome!!! So attentive and great energy!! We love this place!! the food is also…read morewonderful every time

The staff who helped mom with a takeout bowl was super friendly and packed some hot sauce without…read morebeing requested. I'll definitely be back when I visit North SD next. Thank you!

Still love East Village!…read more The rule here is you place your order, always get an app if your dinner is the monk pot, because you'll have to seriously wait 10 minutes after the food comes or your lips will melt off. It's SO worth it though. My go to is the fried spring roll which are rolled up fat boys filled with fresh vegetables that are then deep fried and served with a sweet chili dipping sauce. I then always order the monk bowl with ribeye. The blend of crispy rice on the bottom of the pot, mixed with vegetables, the protein of choice and the egg on top creates a masterpiece. Add the two sauces that come to the table and it's a dream come true. The hubby added chicken this time but said he much prefers the steak, salmon, or shrimp. We've had their dynamite fries a few times and sub out carnitas for ribeye instead. Their fried coconut shrimp is a delight as well.