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.

Kids loved it and so did we! Came here for my 12yo son's birthday and they can't wait to come back!read more

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!

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

This place was so great! They have seating along the bar and tables along the walls of the…read morerestaurant. There's a chill yet elegant vibe to this place so feel free to dress up or be a bit more casual. In the evening, the lights dim and give it a romantic feel. The service was great and the food was DELICIOUS! If you're sober living, no problem! They have really good canned mocktails but trust, they're no ordinary canned drinks. They taste really good!! We ordered: miso soup and chicken gyozas as appetizers and the 5 hand roll set, Emo Brown Roll and blue crab hand roll for the meal. We had some of the sweet and spicy sauce left over from the gyozas and I used it on my spicy tuna roll and it was such a delicious combo! Overall, HIGHLY RECOMMEND! The executive chef Sebastian was also super down to earth and really cool! The Emo Brown Podcast brought us to this location and we will def be back and bring our family and friends to check it out.

Arrived at 6:30 solo on a Tuesday evening and was seated immediately at the bar. There was a big…read morescreen TV playing the World Cup and they had a special World Cup menu with special food and drinks. The place has a large central bar with a few tables around the periphery as well as a few outside on the sidewalk. The decor is clean and modern and the place has a vibey feel. Not exactly sure how to rate this place. If rating it as a bar primarily that also has decent sushi, I'd give it five stars. If rating it as a sushi bar I'd give it three stars. All of the sushi that I had (nigiri, cut rolls and hand rolls) were good but nothing special. If you're looking for a great sushi experience, this is likely not the place. They have a small selection of Japanese and local craft beers as well as bottled and tap sake. I originally characterized the service as slow and inattentive. But looking at it from the perspective of a bar, it was casual and friendly in the slow way you'd expect for hanging out in a bar and socializing or watching sports.

Honestly this was one of the BEST meals I've had in such a long time, I had to come and tell…read moreeveryone about it. If you're considering visiting this gem, just do it! I was kind of bummed that I was the only person dining for lunch, they honestly deserve a crowd. The food and service was 10/10. The setup is really cute on the inside as well and I was able to sit comfortably at a table with my daughter's stroller right next to me. Upon entering, I was greeted right away. I already knew that I wanted to order the Khao Soi because I had looked up their menu and pictures way before coming in and it looked like their specialty. I ordered an iced jasmine green tea as well and chose a table to sit at. The woman who took my order was really nice and helpful with ordering. My food didn't take long to come out, and it was DELICIOUS. This was my first time trying this dish so I didn't know what to expect but it was everything and more. It was topped with what I think was fried onion and chili crisp as well for some added spice. The tea was also so delicious, the crushed ice they use is my favorite. The tea was garnished with an orange slice and my toddler decided to much on it. The woman who took my order noticed my daughter eating the orange slice and she brought me out a couple more on the side. You really don't experience that level of customer service anymore, so it was such a sweet gesture. They have a lot of other things on their menu that I would love to come back and try. I also used the restroom before leaving and it was super clean. I honestly have no complaints whatsoever and I hope this business continues to thrive!

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).

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.

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!

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 ...