This is a longtime standard that I finally made it to. Their online menu shows vegetarian options that weren't clear in-person, which was a bit odd because the two menus actually offered a lot of things that looked different. Eventually, I ended up with a wok-charred green bean dish that I take to be one of their signatures, as well as some cold noodles and a mushroom salad. Everything was covered in chili oil, not the worst thing from my perspective. The noodles had some included vegetables that packed a nice punch. The freshly cooked green beans with just a hint of numbing spices were indeed the highlight. I could have done with a clearer menu and maybe something that wasn't quite so oily for contrast, but this place arose in an era where DC didn't have much in the way of fresh or original Asian cuisine, and it still stands out as having something to offer.

While strolling through Eastern Market, we stumbled upon CHIKO by chance. A quick check of their reviews solidified this as our pick for dinner based on all the praise they've received. On a Sunday at 4:00P, the restaurant was empty when we arrived, but more customers arrived closer to 5:00P. The host immediately handed us a menu which consists of small plates, large plates and sides (like Korean banchan). We placed our order at the counter and then selected a table. I noticed that many customers opt for takeout, so even if you dine in during peak dinner time, you may have a good chance of grabbing one of their few tables. An employee brought over some bowls for us to share the entrées, but they were basically the size of rice bowls, so you could really only put one food item in them at a time. I would have much preferred actual plates. + CUMIN LAMB STIR FRY ($19): So good! Tender shredded lamb, mushrooms and caramelized shallots were mixed with the noodles that had a savory, slightly peppery flavor. There was also a vegetable reminiscent of bok choy, which added nice crunch. While ordering, an employee warned us about the heat, saying it's a 7/10 on the spice scale, so we asked for mild and it turned out barely spicy. If you can tolerate heat, I'd recommend leaving it as is. + ROSE DDUKBOKGI ($17): Now, this was spicy (in the most pleasant way)! Chewy rice cakes were fully covered in a rich Gochujang cream sauce and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It had a surprising hint of sweetness to it and a generous serving of mushrooms brought some earthy notes. + BLISTERED GREEN BEANS ($10): I love green beans and these had so much flavor from the toasted sesame oil, crispy garlic and smear of ssamjang on the side of the bowl. The beans were salty, crunchy and addicting. + NAPA CABBAGE KIMCHI ($4): I'm picky about kimchi, but this was great. It had an ideal spice level and wasn't too tart. The napa still had a perfect crunch, and I alternated bites of it with the lamb stir fry. + SPIKED PINEAPPLE LIME COOLER ($11): This drink was okay, but I wish the pineapple was more prominent... it was subtle compared to the lime. The drizzle of coconut cream on top gave it a light piña colada flavor. This amount of food was the right amount for three of us, and we enjoyed everything we ordered. I wish we could have tried more off their menu!

Really yummy chicken! I like that they give you a good portion size and that the sauce comes on the side. As a picky eater, I wish I had gotten it without the veggies on top, but I'll ask to remove them next time.

Open for brunch! They just started offering brunch a few weeks ago. We gave it a try. The service was great. The food is unique, interesting, and very good. The ambiance is modern. No frills. The chef visited the table and that was nice. Check out the brunch menu!

Stopped by here an hour before closing in a Sunday evening. Staff were friendly. We stayed to eat but it's very utilitarian vibes, clean and functional but not much more than that. Between three of us we got 1 app (green beans), 2 mains (three pepper beef, jajang) and 1 side (spicy cucumbers) - was around $60 (with a soda and lemonade as well) and there was enough food to have leftovers! Maybe like 1 more meal. The food was actually phenomenal. Like waaayyyy better than expected given that this place is not at all a fancy vibe. Honestly hard to say which item was my favorite. Flavor, texture, freshness - everything was amazing! The only kinda weird thing is that they all the items were being cooked in the same singular wok, so the items were a bit staggered coming out. But overall, delicious, easy, cheap especially relative to the quality for sure! Would come back and recommend.

I brought my out-of-town friend here who was craving Asian food on a Saturday night. Since it is mostly a takeout place, we were able to secure seats for 2 people without difficulty. Orders are placed directly at the cashier before seating. We ordered and shared the brussels sprouts and Lamb cumin stir fry. The brussels sprouts were unexpectedly delicious 5/5! I highly recommend this dish if you want a veggie dish. I expected the lamb cumin stir fry to be succulent based on a rec from an acquaintance and I was not disappointed! Don't be fooled by the white color of the noodles. It just was not mixed properly. So, all the noodles were on top while the lamb was at the bottom. The lamb was so tasty and tender that we almost ordered another plate! By the time we got to the lamb, we wanted more noodles but they were sadly all gone. Definitely order the lamb cumin stir fry!

My friend and I were looking for a dinner before a play and we went to the Chiko location in Capitol Hill. I passed by the one in Bethesda, MD before but just didn't have time to ever venture in. We gave ourselves 2 hours before the play because we weren't sure how long it would take, but this place is fast service! You place the order with the cashier and just choose a table anywhere you'd like. We ordered the Chiko Brussels Sprouts (deliciously fried Brussel sprouts with gochujang aioli sauce and furikake), cumin lamb stir fry (has noodles), and specialty drink (non-alcoholic, I don't remember the name of them but they contain lemonade with hints of Szechuan peppercorn, was delicious. The lamb were nicely grilled and tender and had the perfect level of spice. I wish we could have ordered everything off the menu but my friend and I were pretty full from previous meal. Would highly recommend!!

This location only does take out. Ordering was easy online and pick up was quick. We ordered the spicy bulgogi stir fry and the soy glazed brisket. We enjoyed the bulgogi stir fry. The bulgogi (beef) was served on ttoek (rice cake). The rice cake was cooked through and was chewy and not hard. The brisket dish was served on rice and with a soy marinated egg. The brisket wasn't my favorite and this dish was served with a lot of pickled peppers--also not my favorite and it wasn't in the description of the dish. It was a unique dish, but not for me. Both dishes were packed in a cup like container, not really good for the brisket dish, it made the rice mushy. And they did put a lot of rice and peppers and not as much of the meat. Overall it did have pretty tasty foods and would try other things, though the prices are a little high for the portions ($19 each).