Chikahan

We celebrated my 40th birthday at Chikahan and it was one of the best culinary experiences I've ever had. The food is creative, unique, and elevated yet it still feels traditional. Each course brings new flavors and playful plating to the table with a detailed explanation and story behind each dish. Chef Musico's talent is beyond words and the rest of the staff was warm, welcoming and knowledgeable. Right now the restaurant is BYOB so we were able to bring a few fun bottles of wine along to pair with the dishes. It will be fun to see what pairings they come up with in the future and I'm excited to experience this restaurant again, as the menu changes seasonally. Highly recommend.

We have been waiting for the opening of the restaurant every time we were next door at the dessert place. It was indeed a pleasant surprise to find out that it is a Filipino inspired tasting menu restaurant! I like the fact that the Chef Andrew Musiko is a risk taker. He is adventurous and he’s very playful and creative with his dishes. It’s definitely giving an ode to Filipino dishes, but totally elevated and making it quite an experience! You definitely savor every bite as you try to determine the similarities with the traditional dishes but also appreciate the twist, the fusion, the elevation, the flavors! The staff was also attentive and had great customer service. It was also a delightful surprise that Chef Andrew himself was serving some of the dishes and he took time to speak with customers including us. He is very down to earth. He shared his experience of how he opened and started the restaurant. He made some of the cabinetry himself. He is very passionate about his craft and loves what he does. He even shared his excitement for his upcoming menu and his bar menu for Tuesday night karaoke! 🎤 We definitely appreciated his hospitality, and for the unique experience! We commend him for his boldness, innovativeness and love for his roots and desire to elevate it and introduce it to everyone! Eater named it as one of the best new restaurants in Houston, and they hit the mark on this one! Highly, highly recommend!

Our experience at Chikahan on Feb. 7 was simply astounding! Chef Andrew is currently presenting a 7-course dining experience which was likely the best food we’ve ever eaten. How each course was presented was as incredible as the food itself. Ashley, Oscar, Danny, Chef, and Iggy took turns quietly checking on our table, presenting courses, and enthusiastically explaining the components of each. The sheer magic (wizardry as Ashley says) coming out of Andrew’s kitchen will blow you away :) Highly, highly recommend Chikahan.

Always on the lookout for new tasting menus in Houston and saw a random IG story mentioning Chikahan so we had to go! From the start, Danny the GM was not only accommodating to food preferences but reached out to clearly mark them down. I don’t eat beef or pork and they created a wonderful semi-vegetarian tasting for me. He also sent a detailed byob suggestion list so we could bring beverages that would complement the menu. Ashley our server was very personable and knowledgeable on all of the components of each dish, even the ones they adapted to my preferences. Chef Andrew also stopped by the table to greet us. Overall it was a lovely experience with fantastic food. So happy we were able to stop by at the beginning of their journey. Lastly, we were celebrating our graduation and the whole staff signed a card congratulating us. Highly recommend!

Chikahan is led by Chef Andrew Musico, an alumnus of Oxheart and Squabble, brings a wealth of fine dining experience from various prestigious establishments in Houston. Having been fans of Paul Qui's, now-closed restaurants Conejo in Austin and Aqui in Houston, we were thrilled to hear about this new venture, especially one featuring a Filipino tasting menu. After our unsuccessful attempts to dine at Kasama in Chicago, we eagerly secured tickets for Chikahan as soon as they became available. The interior has blond-hued, Filipiniana-inspired bamboo accents complemented by modern lighting. The space is thoughtfully designed, with a cozy seating area at the front and a dining room perfectly sized to create an intimate, welcoming ambiance, not at all stuffy. The staff is friendly and explains each dish so that you have an idea about what you are going to experience. A nice place to settle down for a 2.5-3 hour meal. The pacing of the meal is on spot - in the sweet spot of not too short between dishes so that you can process the flavors and not too long that you forget that there is something new coming. Chikahan offers a tasting menu exclusively, comprising seven courses. The meal was a varied journey of the Filipino island with dishes from various regions - highlighting lesser-known dishes which are divided into snacks and dishes representing the core pillars of Filipino cuisine: fermented, sour, and sweet. The restaurant cleverly incorporates local ingredients to replicate traditional flavors when authentic Filipino ingredients aren't available--for example, substituting tomatillos for green tamarind. For those familiar with Filipino cuisine, each dish feels like a nod to tradition, capturing the essence of familiar flavors. Ingredients like tamarind, coconut vinegar, sour citrus, and shrimp paste shine throughout the menu. While every dish impressed, a few stood out as personal favorites: the risotto, fresh lumpia, eggplant paired with fermented rice, and the house-made Filipino sausage. Staying true to his roots, Chef Andrew and crew deliver authenticity and nostalgia in each bite. In talking to the Chef and tasting the food you will understand his mission - to elevate Filipino food while respecting and representing traditional flavors and cooking styles. I am eager to return to the restaurant for a repeat of one of the best dining experiences I've had in a long time. Service and staff meet you where you, giving you a good respective on the dishes and cuisine. Friendly and professional. We had a good time speaking with Danny, the General Manager and sommelier who shared with us the background on the restaurant, his connection and experience in the industry and connection with the Chef - very informative and insightful conversation. Chef Andrew was able to visit and speak with us further about his experience and goals for the restaurant. What it is, is not, and what it will be. I am wishing him great success in his mission and business. I hope all of Houston, visitors, and all the Pinoy communities come out to try what elevated Filipino cuisine should be and how this not-so-well-known cuisine is deserving of more attention and familiarity here in the States and among everyone.

So worth! 7 courses but some courses have 3-4 different plates/bites so it's really more like 14 different little plates. They said they change their menu periodically and next menu change will be in April!

Everything was so exceptional. We went as a group of four and had trouble picking our favorite courses. The service and ambiance were impeccable and the food was insane. We’ll definitely be going back!

Chikahan was a great tasting menu! As a Filipino, they did an amazing job reinterpreting classic Filipino dishes. The singing interpretation (usually a soup, but served as a risotto) was an epiphany, the snacks were super fun, and we can't wait to come back with our friends and family. We left full and satisfied. It is also BYOB for now, so it was great pairing the dishes with a nice white wine from home. Highly recommended.

We were pleasantly surprised to know that this is a Filipino inspired tasting menu after months of waiting for it to open! I like the fact that the Chef Andrew is a risk taker. He is adventurous and he's very playful and creative with his dishes. It's definitely giving an ode to Filipino dishes, but totally elevated and making it quite an experience! You definitely savor every bite as you try to determine the similarities with the traditional dishes but also appreciate the twist, the fusion, the elevation, the flavors! The staff was also attentive and had great customer service. It was also a delightful surprise that Chef Andrew himself was serving some of the dishes and he took time to speak with customers including us. He is very down to earth. He shared his experience of how he opened and started the restaurant. He made some of the cabinetry himself. He is very passionate about his craft and loves what he does. He even shared his excitement for his upcoming menu and his bar menu for Tuesday night karaoke! We definitely appreciated his hospitality, and for the unique experience! We commend him for his boldness, innovativeness and love for his roots and desire to elevate it and introduce it to everyone! Eater named it as one of the best new restaurants in Houston, and it's well deserved! Highly, highly recommend!

Our experience at Chikahan on Feb. 7 was simply astounding! Chef Andrew is currently presenting a 7-course dining experience which was likely the best food we've ever eaten. How each course was presented was as incredible as the food itself. Ashley, Oscar, Danny, Chef, and Iggy took turns quietly checking on our table, presenting courses, and enthusiastically explaining the components of each. The sheer magic (wizardry as Ashley says) coming out of Andrew's kitchen will blow you away :) Highly, highly recommend Chikahan.

Awesome service with knowledgeable staff. This was an amazing dining experience with great food and a really cool vibe!

I'd have given this place a zero if I could. It's our anniversary and we made reservations weeks in advance. We got here and they were closed. They sent the cancellation through email around noon, but if you're doing one thing after another, this can be easily missed. We had to take time off for this dinner too. So that was also a complete waste. We're outside now looking for an alternative to salvage what's left of the evening. Of course everything has been booked. We'd completely understand if they had issues and cannot operate, but a simple call could've mitigated this mess. I've been curious and wanted to try and support this place, but I'm too upset now to even try. Again, a simple call or text could've changed this, they don't even have a number listed. I'm sure you have great food, but you've really ruined our evening.

They Cancelled reservation less than 24 hrs after confirming the day before dinner. No explanation

My wife and I had our Valentines Day dinner there last night. The four course dinner was simply amazing from start to finish. It was a full house, but yet the service was great. The servers and chef took the time to describe each dish and answered any questions you may have regarding the dish. The servings were just right and the taste on point.The lamb was out of this world. The flavor was outrageous and they literally melted in my mouth. Although I loved each dish, the lamb was my favorite. The dessert called halo-halo, was like a party in my mouth. It was a mixture of fruits, jelly, ice cream and rice krispies. So many flavors and textures dancing in my mouth. I believe Chef Andrew may start offering the four course dinner in the coming months, due to last night's success. Can't wait. Definitely a place to try with your friends and/or that special someone.

A very unprofessional establishment. Paid a month in advance. Confirmed the reservation the day prior. Less than 5 hours prior to the reservation the restaurant cancelled.

We had a birthday celebration there a couple of weeks ago. It was our first time there and we didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be a one of the greatest experience. The 7-course tasting menu was a real treat. All dishes looked beautiful, tasted delicious, and had perfect combination of flavors and texture. The service and ambience were also excellent. We will definitely go back.