Kiko

After a month or so of hibernating without any restaurant excursions (a crime, I know), our night at Kiko was fabulous welcome back to the dining scene. The the vibes were warm and welcoming and food was as creative as it was tasty. We took an absurdly long time to deliberate because of how great everything on the menu looked (which our server did not seem thrilled with but she put up with us all the same) and at this point I think it's probably safe to say that you can't go wrong. I just happened to be a major sufferer of FOMO which makes decisions impossible and temporarily renders them far more dire than they actually are. All this means now is that we must return to try what we omitted.We came here at around 8:45 on a Saturday night. Despite being somewhat out of the way and in a neighborhood that is trying to make fetch happen and not yet succeeding, the place was packed and buzzing, and quite a bit larger than I expected upon first walking in. The decor is understated but inviting with lots of natural elements, neutrals, and warm lighting. We were seated all the way in the back which is like a cute extra nook that, if functionality allowed, could be awesome as a covered convertible space during the summer (but they didn't ask me for design advice, nor do I possess any credentials to offer it).Drink-wise, Kiko offers a super creative cocktail menu along with wine and other libations. Most of the cocktails are innovative and nuanced takes on classics, which somewhat resemble the traditions versions in specs but the ingredients are diverse and unique. I started with the Kiko Martini (Gin, Vermouth, Sake, Yuzu, Sea Lettuce) because I always start with a martini. This one was super crisp, notes of salt and citrus and umami, a lot going on but in a subtle way. The Kinome Negroni (Gin, Campari, Spanish Vermouth, Mandarin, Kinome) was also complex but not in a subtle way, the citrus notes from the mandarin and kinome blending beautifully with the campari to complement the gin. Also very seasonal, which was appreciated. Food-wise, as you already might guess from the drinks, Kiko's menu is generally new American with significant influence from several Asian styles of cooking, such that each dish offers familiar elements yet has a totally unique personality to it. They recommend that you split everything here -- which we would have done anyway -- as most of the dishes are served in such a way that facilitates sharing. Eats, below: Tuna tartare w/ takuan, scallion, crème fraîche and pommes allumettes: AI guess we were too excited to get started on our meal because I seem to have not captured a photo of this. An excellent dish to start with as far as waking up the palette goes, a great combo of textures and flavors.Chicory and red cabbage salad w/ peanut-tahini and lime dressing, dukkah, herbs: AThis had all elements of the perfect winter salad. Crispy and bitter winter greens, nuttiness, sweetness, and citrus. And colorful, too!Maine lobster crispy rice w/ Athai chili, red curry, meyer lemon and basil: A+This was one of the dishes mentioned as a standout in just about every review I read prior to coming here, and now you can add mine to the list. Not only was it unlike anything I had ever tried before, but it was next-level flavorful and delicious. Short rib w/ preserved peppers and perilla: AOne of the simpler dishes on the menu -- at least in presentation -- but less can be more with something like short rib when seasoned/marinated/etc well because it holds its own without much fluff around it. The subtle rustic/herby elements here just serving to showcase the flavors of the meat.Broccolini w/ miso bagna cauda: AWe honestly didn't need this as it turns out because we had plenty of food, but it felt weird to order the short rib on its own without a side so that's how we ended up with the broccolini. I had never tried bagna cauda before and it was super tasty and would probably pair well with other types of roasted veggies as well.

We loved kikos!!! Our server was kim we had a bunch of dietary restrictions but she hit it out of the park. Food was very tasty, just wish they had a few more options menu is a bit limited. Overall loved and would definitely be back.

Wonderful experience and the best service I've had in a long time! I felt so well taken care of for 2.5 hours. And in the lightest and most carefree way. The space is also modern and cozy. With dim lighting that sets a chill vibe. All of the tables were full at when we arrived at 8, and it stay pretty buzzy until about 9:30. Everything was pretty tasty. The real highlights for me were: - Thrice Fried Chicken Wings - Crunchy, lightly sauced outside and the moist meat falls right off the bone. Don't forget to squeeze the lime on it, it really adds a pop. - Maine Lobster Crispy Rice - A nice sized serving of flavorful rice topped with marble sized chunks of lobster. - Chicory & Red Cabbage Salad - The peanut flavor seals the deal and ties this simple and crunchy salad together

Visited on a Tuesday evening with a 5:30 PM reservation. The restaurant started relatively quiet but filled up by 8 PM. Their cocktail program is a highlight, with creative Japanese twists on classics like the Kinome Negroni and martini.Standout Dishes:- Chicken wings were absolutely delicious - my top pick of the night- Dungeness crab with DIY Nori rolls was quite good- Berkshire pork chop had excellent flavorDisappointments:- Duck Nabe was overpriced with small, sparse portions- Malfadine pasta was tiny considering the price pointWe spent around $500 for four people (including pre-dinner cocktails), which felt steep given the inconsistent portion sizes and dish quality. The service was solid, and the cocktails were a bright spot.Pros:- Creative cocktail menu- Interesting Japanese-inspired flavor profiles- Good serviceCons:- Expensive- Inconsistent portion sizes- Some dishes don't justify their price pointRecommendation: Worth trying for the unique culinary experience, but be prepared for a potentially pricey evening. Best for those who appreciate inventive cuisine and don't mind splurging.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Kiko is an instant superstar. The food is unique and delicious. The service is great, attentive and personal without being intrusive. The vibe is downtown all the way, but not in a crazy way so it is safe to bring grandma. The cocktails are stellar and the wine list is thoughtfully put together with some great selections. So make a reservation if you can.

Cute place for a date night, dark cozy ambiance! I would come back for drinks but I would skip the food - everything was very mediocre for the price, flavors were very muted the only thing that was flavorful were the chicken wings but there was not too much chicken on the wing I was just eating the fried skin. Our waiter was delightful and the bartenders were very nice as well!

It's clear the pedigree is there. The decor and the layout of the place reflect that. The service is also friendly but not without a few minor hiccups; it's the first few days of opening so it's understandable.The cocktails are Japanese inspired. That's always a good thing when it comes to cocktails in my opinion so no complaints there. The wine list is your standard NY deal: 2 to 2.5 times retail with decent selection.The food is where they lose me. There is an identity crisis. Everything is not quite Thai Japanese Chinese Korean American? Some of the signature dishes like the chicken wings are difficult to eat and the batter around the chicken is mushy because it's too thick and fried at wrong temp or not double fried. The short rib had too much of a burnt flavor and a bit tough.The highlight was the lobster crispy rice dish and the crab appetizer with nori. The price point for crispy rice and curry with lobster is a bit high but the flavors are there. The nori and crab is a well established combo in Japanese cuisine. The sides were also great because of simple prep with interesting Asian flavor kicks.The better dishes were ones that didn't try to do too much or felt familiar with twists that were well executed. The chicken wings, for example, there are too many that are done perfectly in NY and establishments that thrive on chicken like Cocodaq or a hundred other Korean fried chicken spots; the flaws thus become amplified.Overall it's 3.5 stars but I'm rounding up since it's their opening week.

A very pleasant meal and nice ambience. The food was enjoyable and drinks were good. The salad and dessert were good. The mains were not outstanding for its price but enjoyable. A nice meal overall

Neighborhood joint featuring solid Greek food. Great dips and don't skip the cheesecake. A little dark, a little noisy but fun.

Great food, great service from the waitress and a decent ambiance.The overall restaurant service and management is something in question. Be very careful of their cancelation policy on Resy. I had booked a reservation on both the 9th and 10th of January at the same time and requested the restaurant to cancel the reservation on the 9th via email (no phone number to call). I made it clear that I was unable to attend on the 9th but was looking forward to dining there on the 10th. I did not hear back from the restaurant, so I canceled my reservation the day of, and was charged a $50 fee.The following day, I attended my reservation on time and kindly let the hostess know my issue as soon as I arrived. I suggested reducing $50 from the bill or simply refunding the original form of payment. I was flexible in how the situation was handled; I just wanted to be made whole. I was told they would notify the manager and that she would handle the situation. Prior to ordering the food, I had also let my waitress know who replied with a similar response.After we had eaten dinner, the manager and owner (Lina) came to tell us that we would not be getting any type of refund and was unwilling to compromise at all. Had I known this would be the case prior to my meal, I wouldn't have dined there. It's surprising that the restaurant doesn't reply via email, has no phone number to contact and doesn't call to check if the customer will be attending the reservation the following day. Furthermore, it's odd that the restaurant wouldn't question why the same person has a reservation two days in a row at the same time for the same number of people. Mind blowing that the restaurant owner wouldn't compromise after spending $350+ for a party of two people.The manager was completely inflexible, unwilling to cooperate and could have easily figured out multiple solutions to make us whole. Throughout our conversation, she went off on a tangent about how three other customers have had similar requests, how her and her husband are hard workers etc. Instead of simply deducting the $50 from the bill, the restaurant will have to now deal with my credit card company.