Chiko — Restaurant in New York

There is a phrase that comes to mind when I think back to our Chiko experience last week: WAY OVERPRICED.

I've been to many high end prix-fixe meals – in New York, but also in places like Chicago (Next), Montreal (Pastel), and Mexico City (Quintonil). All WoW places. While expensive, they're well worth it for the food, ambience and experience.

The reviews for Chiko are promising. Our visit was a partial letdown, though – and not in the way you might think. There was nothing bad about it (except for maybe the oppressive kitchen lights, which overwhelm your visual sense at the counter-style seats).

There is simply no way Chiko is worth $158 per person. I would say it's ~ $60 overpriced, which is the exact amount of the deposit you have to leave on Tock to reserve one seat (we were two, so $120).

Yes, the service is attentive. The fish is fresh, no doubt. There are dashes of creativity and inventiveness. The brass chopstick holders are a delight. The main dish Wagyu beef is perfectly cooked. The sake selection, though limited, is well-informed and interesting, especially their descriptions.

While I could have passed on the more ostentatious aspects of the meal such as the gold leaf garnish, there was really nothing wrong here. (Well actually there was: the chef messed up the egg-on-mushroom dish near the end, but since there were no extra eggs, he served the deconstructed dish anyway! At these prices, the chef could have apologized and offered something to make up for the error.)

It just wasn’t worthy of the high cost. Nothing to rave about, and certainly not at these prices. With alcohol and tip, the whole meal came out to $445 for two.

Overall, a solid meal, there's just NO reason to overspend your money here.

PS - While I love the idea of Explore Tock, but I wish there a way to leave a review directly within the app. Every place on Tock looks and sounds like it could be a life-altering experience. Then you run into a place like Chiko - which is really nothing more than storefront industrial kitchen with very expensive sushi - and you're like huh, OK, I guess I better pay closer to attention. Yet it has a 5.0 on Google, and then...

Note: My parents went here but liked it so much they asked me to put up a review as they are not tech savvy.

The experience at Chiko was absolutely fantastic. Surprisingly we were the only ones there during our 7pm sitting last Saturday. The restaurant itself was chic and very pleasant.

The food was absolutely phenomenal. the hamachi course was especially great. All of the sushi was the best we have ever had our entire lives. The only course we did not like was the Uni, but that is only because neither of us likes uni. It was not a reflection of the preparation or quality. I left very very full, but my husband (who is a big eater) said he was hungry. Though notably for him he will have an extra large ramen and still be hungry after, so it is not a good metric.

Watching the chef prepare everything right in front of you was great. He explained what he was doing and really engaged with us during the entire experience. His wife helped with all the other aspect of the dinner outside the actual cooking. They were both incredibly pleasant, fun, and a joy to have dinner with.

The dining experience was a bit faster than we expected, but this was most likely because we were the only ones there. If the max seating of 8 was taken then we are sure it would have taken longer.

We are eagerly looking forward to returning here when the menu changes and we can try something new. Please go to this restaurant! Nothing else like ti exists in Greenpoint and it is a joy to have in the...

I am somewhat hesitant to do this because this place is so special, I almost want to keep it to myself. This place is a hidden gem that I hope anyone looking for omakase should try. Walking down Manhattan Avenue you would never guess what is inside from the exterior. Chef Xiao has carefully planned every part of this place. The pace is clean and simple but with an elegance that is the opposite of the rough storefront. A long wooden counter divides the room between the diner and the chef who isn't just preparing food but entertaining and educating you about the process. John Coltrane and other jazz plays in the background making you feel like you are in some kind Murakami novel. And the ultimate reward is the menu. I wish I could do it justice but it was one of the best meals I have ever had from start to finish. Each course brings something new and wonderful, which makes it worth every penny and makes me hope it will be there for...