Truly such a shame that this place closed!!! Ambiance was serene, clean and modern. I crave the raw crab and shrimp regularly -- it was so well prepared, flavorful without being overly spicy. Everyone was always prompt, accurate and helpful. Please reopen !! read more

ILCHA - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Like many others, I regret not coming to Ilcha more often. Once we heard they were closing, we went twice within two weeks. Our first visit was a later reservation, and they had already sold out of the raw marinated shrimp and bossam. We came back earlier the second time specifically for those dishes, and they were worth it. The raw marinated shrimp and bossam were the standouts. The shrimp was flavorful and well balanced, and the bossam was simple but great quality, good balance of fat and meat. The oysters were also so good! We also ordered the budae jjigae, galbi, and fried chicken. All were solid. Since it was the two of us, we had leftovers. The budae jjigae was just as good the next day. It is a loss for San Francisco! read more

ILCHA - Raw marinated shrimp - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Man oh man... I'm going to really miss this place. I know it's closed now but I wanted to leave a review as a customer that came multiple times. Their raw marinated shrimp was the best I've ever had. I've liked it more than the ones I've had while in Korea too. The service is amazing, the staff was always super friendly and helpful. Their bossam and galbi were my other two favorites. I'll really miss this place. The ambiance was always sophisticated with a touch of fun. The communal seating in the middle was reminiscent of places in Korea. I truly wish I was able to try the raw marinated crab you served but every time I came, it was not available.... So sad. Thank you for providing such incredible meals over these past few years. Since you guys are closing permanently, can I request the recipe or the raw marinated shrimp? I will be thinking of it forever. read more

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I'm so happy that I got to try this place before they closed, but I'm so bummed that I'll never get to have it again. My friends and I raved about the marinated shrimp ($29) and how it was the best we've ever had. This is definitely the dish I'm gonna be missing the most. The fried chicken ($19) was solid and the pieces were huge. There was one that was literally the shape of a ball. The corn cheese tater tots ($18) were good, but they were slightly heavy on the sour cream. Lastly, we had the bulgogi jeongol ($42), which looked intimidating because of how much food it was, but the broth, veggies, and japchae were so light that we were able to finish all of it. I totally understand why everyone was so sad to see this place close down. I'm thankful to the owners for creating such a great restaurant and delicious food! read more

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Came here for dinner with a group and overall the raw shrimp was the highlight. It was super fresh and sweet with a nice Miren + Light Soy + fish sauce marinade, and the kimchi banchan had great depth and spice. Both stood out right away. The army stew was a really generous portion and easily feeds four people, so it's a good choice if you're sharing and want something filling. The oysters and boiled pork were solid and about what we expected, nothing surprising and skippable. Service was pretty infrequent and it could be hard to flag someone down for refills or extra orders, so I'd recommend ordering most of what you want upfront. The ambiance is casual and lively which makes it great for groups than an intimate dinner. I'd come back for the raw shrimp! read more

ILCHA - Fried chicken - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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High end looking restaurant serving down to earth Korean tapas. The interior is dimly lit with a simple modern vibe. Service was decent but don't expect them to be super fast as there are a lot of other tables waiting to be served as well. We tried various seafoods including their crab, shrimp, and oysters. All were very fresh and of good quality. Highly recommend the shrimp as the flavor and texture is mind blowing and just so different from other food items. Warning: soy marinated food items are salty because they need to ensure there's enough salt to "cook" the seafood so don't order these dishes if you're not a sodium fan. read more

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I've had ILCHA on my list for a while now. I saw videos saying they were going to close so I had to try it before it was too late. My friend made a reservation for Thursday night dinner. It got busy later in the night. Korean fried chicken (5/5): The fry was so good. The chicken was so juicy. You get a choice of gochujang or garlic soy sauce. We chose the garlic sauce and I didn't think it would come on the side. We did the half order which was a good portion for the two of us. Dubu kimchi (3/5): This was pretty basic. Stir fried kimchi with tofu and pork belly. Could've done without. Bulgogi jeongol (5/5): This was perfect. The tables come with a built in burner so it stayed hot throughout the meal. The broth was so healing. The bulgogi had good flavor and wasn't too sweet. It came with mushrooms, napa cabbage, onions, carrots, rice cakes and glass noodles. It was a great way to get our veggies in. I'm sad that they are closing. It was a really good meal. I enjoyed my time and would've come back. read more

ILCHA - Korean fried chicken - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here before I heard they'd be closing this restaurant soon bc it's been widely liked and was really happy I got to come before they close! Everything we had was delicious! The raw marinated shrimp comes with seaweed, rice, and a yolk. It had a nice sweetness to it that was a nice surprise. The bossam and oysters were also great, the pork was tender and the gochuchang based sauce for the oyster was my favorite. They even gave a free refill of lettuce and perilla, which was appreciated. The fried chicken comes piping hot and is crispy and juicy. The service was kind of slow to get seated and our order taken but it seemed like they were a tad short staffed. But the service was very nice. Only sad thing was that they didn't have the grilled tteok that day. Looking forward to hearing what's next for the folks that run this place! read more

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ILCHA absolutely blew me away. My friends who live in SF brought us here, and I'm so grateful they did -- every single dish we tried was incredible and truly stood out! Not a single miss. I really loved the vibe of the space. The lighting is dim, but feels warm and cozy rather than dark. I came with a group of my friends, and the servers were so attentive and fun -- they teased and joked around with us + made the experience feel welcoming while also being a bit chaotic LOL. The soy-marinated shrimp was the highlight of the meal! It was so flavorful and easily one of my favorite bites of the night. Our friends told us that we have to pair it with the rice and order seaweed on the side to make little soy shrimp wraps -- such a game changer!!! We also ordered the corn cheese tater tots + the army stew and both were delicious! Everything came out warm, comforting, and satisfying. Each dish felt thoughtfully prepared so you can tell a lot of care goes into the food here. While the pricing is definitely on the higher-end side, it's 100% worth it for the quality, portions, and overall experience. I would've loved to come back over and over again, but I saw on Instagram that they'll be closing soon permanently -- which is such a bummer :( I'm disappointed I won't be able to return, but I'm glad I got the chance to experience ILCHA at least once! If you're thinking about going before they close, don't hesitate. This spot is truly something special, and I'm happy I got to try it. read more

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Food - Everything was so good! - Great for sharing for us 4. - Good portions Service - Very fast and attentive. Ambiance - Dark inside, can be nice for a date night. - The bathroom is at the entrance, no sign: - Modern art with inside tables and dark walls. read more

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So sad they are closing because we had a great first visit here. Got excited when I sat down and there was a hot pot! We ordered so much because we knew we wouldn't get another chance. The tteokboki with American cheese was so interesting . It also had condensed milk. My husband loved it and I was intrigued but not sure how I feel :$ Standouts the chicken! Fried beautiful and crisped up beautifully for leftovers as well. We felt like the price to performance on this was excellent . The half portion was huge! 5 pieces! I liked the hot pot too, but nothing standout about it. Sad they are closing, but what a great little place! read more

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Was surprised to hear this place is closing, so I had to stop by one last time for their fried chicken. Ordered the half fried chicken, which came with both white and dark meat. It does take a bit to come out since it's fried fresh, but it's absolutely worth the wait. The chicken is brined, so it stays juicy and not dry at all. My other favorite was the cheese tteok. It's grilled rice cakes filled with mozzarella, topped with American cheese and condensed milk. It sounds like a strange combo, but it somehow works and was seriously addicting. Really sad I won't be able to have this again. read more

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Cute little spot in the Marina. I made reservations even though I dined alone since I heard this place tends to fill up on Friday and Saturday nights. I was seated at the community table which is shared. Not a problem. Plenty of space. Ordered the kim mari for appetizers (fried seaweed spring rolls). Comes with a gochujang dipping sauce. I've had this before so I was excited to get it again. Really good/addicting. Light crispy batter on the outside. Can't go wrong ordering these. Had to go to work after so I only ordered one drink. It was a canned cocktail. Peach lychee soju sparkling cocktail. 8 percent! lol strong and delicious. Would order again even though it's canned. Took a photo so I could try to buy for the house stash lol For my entree, I ordered galbi which came with assorted ssam. I usually get rice but since I was working after, I just ate these as wraps for a lighter option. Well marinated and really good as "lettuce wraps". I asked for a side of hot sauce for added spice. I've wanted to try something different this time around. I've had their Korean fried chicken which is really good! Some of the best I've had! Didn't get it this time cause I like to have it fresh and it would've been way too much food for me, but if you go, definitely grab some of that! Service was great! Even though they're busy, they servers make sure to take care of you. I work part time down the street and heard they are closing soon which is so sad for us. We love them and the staff. Food is delicious. Try to get there to check out the food before they close come February! read more

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Wish I tried this place earlier and not 1 month before they close :( Ilcha's been on my bookmarked list for ages and it did not disappoint. Ambiance is casual w dimly lit lighting and plenty of seating - there's a long table in the middle of the restaurant for parties of 2, plus several individual tables on each side for larger groups. Service was fantastic, very attentive and food came quickly. We ordered the following: - half size fried chicken: this was soo good. perfect layer of fried skin, and the chicken was flavorful and juicy. paired great with the gochujang - bulgogi jeongol: their stew portions are hefty and filling - ours had a large helping of meat, noodles, tofu slices, enoki mushroom, and greens. didn't even order a side of rice cause it was that much food. I've also heard the soy marinated crab is a must order, though it wasn't on the menu this time. definitely check it out before they close on 2/14! read more

ILCHA - Fried chicken - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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So sad that my favorite restaurant is closing -- last day to dine is 2/14/26 Highly recommend coming in before then! Came here with my boyfriend and our experience was a 10/10. We wanted to order the soy raw marinated crab, but it wasn't on the menu, so we opted for the shrimp instead. The raw marinated shrimp was not fishy at all and so good. We also ordered the fried chicken, and it was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Glad that I was able to dine one last time before its closing day. read more

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I can't believe how long it took me to try Ilcha! Came here on a Friday night with a group of girlfriends and we loved it! The ambiance is dark and cozy, would also be a great date night spot. The food was the highlight. My favorites were the fried chicken and the budae jigae, but honestly everything was delicious. I will definitely be back! read more

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Risked the walk-in on a Wednesday night and got kick with a 20 minute wait for a party of 2! We ordered the bulgogi jeongol, fried chicken (mostly white meat but pretty juicy), and mozz-filled rice cake skewers - all pretty solid! Ended up being way too much food for 2 people but perfect for leftovers. Would caution against letting the cheese skewers sit too long and get cold :) More eager to try the bossam+oysters, budae jjigae, and ganjang saewoo+gyrean bap (soy cured shrimp) upon returning! read more

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The place feels upscale, dimly lit, super clean, and a good spot for a date night. They emphasize on drinks with their food, and it's overall a fun place to eat. The fried chicken is a must, and we also enjoyed the LA Galbi and bulgogi jeongol. Sharing is the way to go with these! read more

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I loved ilcha and was so sad that it closed :( the service is amazing. All the staff is super nice and the vibes are great. I thought the fried chicken was crispy. My favorite was marinated shrimp & crab! I also loveeee the kimchi read more

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I was super excited to finally try Ilcha as I love Korean food and heard good things about this place from friends. We made a reservation for Friday night and between 2 people, we shared: - Marinated raw shrimp: Soy marinated shrimp with a side of egg yolk rice with seaweed and sesame oil. This was definitely my favorite of the night! The shrimp is so tender and flavorful and perfect with the egg yolk seaweed rice. So much umami and marinated well so don't be afraid of the raw shrimp! - Corn Cheese Tator Tots: Crispy tots covered in corn cheese and sour cream with gochujang mayo. Really yummy but pretty heavy - Budae Jjigae: Korean army stew with ramen, kimchi, sausage, spam. It's a simple staple soup but they do it really well and it's rich and savory without feeling like too much which is perfect We also got a bottle of Ji Pyeong Makgeolli to share which was nice and refreshing without feelings too alcoholic. I definitely enjoyed all the food and the ambiance is really nice as well for an elevated Korean food experience. read more

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My friend and I shared the raw marinated shrimp, rice, oysters, and bossam. We wanted the raw marinated crab but I think it was not on the menu (not in season or they ran out?) so did the shrimp instead. The rice was super yummy with the seaweed and raw egg and oysters were fresh. The bossam was a little bland. The shrimp was overall my favorite!! The restaurant is small with not much seating options. A few small tables and then one very large table that seats multiple groups so you might have to sit next to someone you don't know in another party. I know this is standard in Korea but don't find this too often here and especially for a higher priced restaurant I wasn't really a fan. We made a reservation and were seated easily but not sure how the wait is as a walk in. We ordered some soju and cocktails as well. Overall the food and drinks were good but for the price point and how popular this place was it didn't really blow me away - a little overhyped! read more

ILCHA - Raw marinated shrimp, rice, oysters, and bossam - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We ordered the fried chicken, DUBU BEOSEOT JEONGOL, drinks, and hotteok! Fried chicken was extremely crispy on the outside with tender chicken on the inside (and loved that they gave big pieces). The sides paired nicely since they were either pickled or fresh veggies to cut through the chicken. The soup was extremely worth it with various ingredients like tofu, mushroom, crown daisy, etc. if I was to come back it would be for that soup! The hotteok was good, but would've actually preferred warm hotteok without the ice cream since it became overly sweet. Service in the restaurant was good. The restaurant isn't suited for parties over 8 though. We had originally reserved for 8 and later asked if 9 was possible, which apparently isn't if you want to order individual dishes. It seems like each group is also allotted 2 hours because around 2 hours after our reservation, they had told us that the next group was going to arrive. I wouldn't come back again for large group celebrations because of these limitations and lack of flexibility. For small groups, I would come to share the soup read more

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A great spot to dine before hitting the bars in the Marina! The army stew can easily be split to 4 people. I reccomend getting their fried chicken as well (not pictured) Service was great. Vibes were lively on a Friday night. Just a bit pricey so grab some friends to dine while you're at it! read more

ILCHA - Seoul Night Soju - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Holy fried chicken (but imagine the clap emoji between each word, because it was that good). I've heard about this spot and their KFC quite a bit from a coworker, so I went in weary that it may have been overhyped, but no, it deserves all the hype it got. Along with the unbelievably flavorful, juicy, and crispy fried chicken, we also got Corn cheese tater tots, Kim Mari, and Dubu kimchi. The corn cheese tots were also to die for - a must order in my opinion. The Kim Mari and Dubu kimchi probably weren't things I would've ordered on my own, but they were so delicious and unique, so I'm really glad we got them, and would happily order and eat them again. Our group of 9 came in with a reservation on a Tuesday night, and even though it was a Tuesday, the place was pretty packed. Highly recommend making a reservation if you can, and if not be prepared to wait because the restaurant isn't that large. Can't wait to come back here! read more

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I've been here twice now and tried several things on the menu - the food is usually solid, but honestly nothing is exceptional or memorable. They're also ALWAYS out of soy raw marinated crab. The soy marinated shrimp is a good alternative though - it's especially delicious with the rice and toppings that comes with it! The restaurant is nice overall, but I'm not a huge fan of the giant shared table they have in the middle. This place probably isn't the best for a date since parties of 2 usually get seated at the shared table. read more

ILCHA - soy marianted shrimp - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

We came here for dinner and I loved the cozy vibes. We ordered a good amount of dishes for sharing and everything on the menu sounded good. Our favorites was the raw marinated shrimp, fried chicken and bossam! The service was pretty fast and staff were so friendly. read more

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Food was spectacular, bossam and oysters were delicious and amazing quality. Shrimp was very unique and tasty. Army stew was huge and spicy, so good. Service was good, and ambiance was dark and fancy. Really sad this place is closing. read more

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It's a hidden gem in the marina! So sad it's closing, the food was nothing short of delicious with a cozy dim light ambiance. Service was great, no complaints. The Jigae is enough for 4 people so would order accordingly. read more

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Noisy atmosphere but good food in the Marina district! My friend and I had no reservations, but we were able to get seating on a Thursday night. Their menu is not that extensive, but it is full of authentic Korean dishes. We ordered their Korean Fried Chicken and Budae Jjigae, which was cooked on our own tabletop stove. Our dishes came out in 20 minutes, and the chicken was crispy & seasoned well! The Budae Jjigae had the perfect amount of spice in the soup, along with fresh ingredients like their mushrooms and cabbage. The portion sizes were decent. We were slightly rushed at the end to finish our dishes, but the service was good. Good for a fancier night out! read more

ILCHA - Korean Fried Chicken (left) and Budae Jjigae (right) - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here a few times. This will be last last time before they permanently closed. They didn't have marinated raw crab, bummer. I came specifically for the raw crab and raw shrimp. This time we ordered raw shrimp, fried chicken and bulgogi pot. They were the only place that have soy marinated raw crab in SF. It was never on their menu, u just have to ask and see if they have it that day. Really wanted to have the raw crab again before they close but they were out that day, I heard the other table was trying to order it, and mentioned a persons name, guess they were able to get it either they know the owner or they were able to hold some. read more

ILCHA - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I really enjoyed this place! Im definitely going to come back here! The staff were great and friendly, super attentive! The food selection was, in MY opinion the best! I say that because they have all my favorites! We of course had to order the Marinated shrimp, it was DELICIOUS; perfect amount of sweetness! The chicken was good! I love all the sauce and sides it came with. The Taters are a must! The place was very clean and lively. It's a great place to meet with friends. I cant wait to go back. I want to get the marinated crabs! read more

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Lovely spot for an intimate dinner! We got a late night dinner and the staff were very accommodating even around & past closing time. The service truly stood out -- everyone was incredibly friendly, attentive, and personable! We ordered the corn cheese tater tots, half fried chicken, and budae jjigae to share between two. SO much food and we had tons of leftovers for about $60pp post tip. My favorites were the corn cheese tots & the stew. The stew is best eaten fresh though as it gets a little soggy as the ingredients marinate in the soup. But I loved the variety of ingredients! The tots were also piping hot and very savory. A really fun take on corn cheese. We also got the cali soju melona and it's quite a strong soju (10 shots in a bottle) but very tasty and definitely has that classic melona flavor! Definitely recommend this spot. Did not have room for the hotteok dessert unfortunately but will be back to try it! read more

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So glad I finally made my way to Ilcha! I've always heard great things about this place. Came in on a Tuesday at 5:30 with reservations which I'm glad I did since it got completely full by 7pm. The service was great and it didn't take long to order. We wanted to try Makgeolli soju and our waiter was super friendly and recommended us the "Rice to meet you yogurt" soju since my friend loves soju on the sweeter side. It was actually really smooth and tasted great with the food we ordered. Kim Mari: definitely worth trying! It comes with gochujang sauce which complimented the dish very well. Fried chicken: I thought the fried chicken was perfectly fried and juicy inside. Not salty and not over seasoned either. My type of chicken for sure! Marinated raw shrimp: wow this was actually so good and the marinade was perfect. Comes with a side bowl of rice, egg yolk, crushed seaweed, and sesame oil. Corn Cheese Tater Tots: Nothing special tbh. Don't get me wrong I love me some tater tots and these were perfectly crisp, but I think there are better things on the menu. Budae Jigae: Spicy ramen hotpot. I'm a soup lover and this really hit the spot. Cozy and perfect for a cold night in SF. I loved that they didn't put the ramen noodles in the soup right away and waited til we were ready to eat. This ensured the noodles weren't soggy and we ate it Al dente (my preference). Sad to hear they're closing next month, but so glad I got a chance to eat here! Great service and great food overall! read more

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Have been wanting to try this spot out for a longggg time after hearing great things. I love korean soy marinated shrimp and it's pretty hard to find in the bay area. We ordered the -Fried chicken: super crispy but not enough sauce given -Bulgogi tater tots: tasted like drunk food. Carne asafa fries adjacent 1Soy marinated shrimp: saltier than what I'm used to and surprised it came with seawood rice. Would've preferred white or purple rice -Hotteok: so yummy and comforting. Perf portion for 2-3 ppl Service was quick and the place was super cute as well. Lucky enough that we didn't experience a wait. Looking forward to exploring more of the menu in the future read more

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We got the raw oyster and bossam with lettuce wrap, korean fried chicken, raw marinated shrimp, and the corn cheese tater tots. I never would have thought that raw oysters and pork belly would go well together, but they do! It was quite a nice pairing with the banchan that came with it. The corn cheese tater tots were addictive and my favorite. I'd come back just for those! The raw marinated shrimp was my second favorite thing we ordered, the sauce for the marinade was great with the rice it came with. It had a nice salty and tangy flavor to it. The korean fried chicken was also really great. While it wasn't flavorful by itself, the sauces it came with were great. It was fried perfectly and was great. Overall, great value for the amount of food we ordered. Would definitely come back again for the corn cheese tater tots and raw marinated shrimp, and to try the other things! read more

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It's been over 2 weeks and I'm still thinking about the fried chicken here at ILCHA. If you are a Korean fried chicken connoisseur bookmark this spot ASAP. We came in with a big group and I believe made a reservation at least a couple weeks ahead. We came in on a Tuesday night and it was packed, so a reservation is definitely recommended. Come here for a fun time and ready to drink because they do soju and makgeolli like no other. I'm usually not a makgeolli girl, but they had a premium bottle that was unpasteurized and I was absolutely obsessed. Their selection of premium soju is also something you can't find often! The food is like Korean bar food but elevated to the next level. From the crispiest fried chicken to corn cheese tater tots and fried seaweed spring rolls (kim mari). ILCHA really knows how to craft dishes that are perfect for sharing over drinks. read more

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Love it here. Great place to drink and have some food on the side. Casual vibes and located in the Marina. Seated for 2 at 8pm on a Saturday with just a five min wait. Great marinated shrimp and fried chicken. The shrimp soaked up all the flavor and we had to order another chicken after finishing our first because it was THAT GOOD! We'll be back and I want to try the marinated crab next time. Thank you! read more

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Made a reservation for 4 on a Thursday night. Parking in the area is harder to find so do come earlier. The ambience is pretty nice and the servers are friendly. We got the raw marinated shrimp, fried chicken and army stew to share. The raw marinated shrimp is so good. It's better than raw marinated crab in my opinion. The sauce is amazing. The fried chicken was also fried perfectly. The army stew is pretty standard but the portion is big enough to share between 4 people. I would be back just for the shrimp. read more

ILCHA - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Such a date spot here! We brought our baby and glad that they have high chairs. Didn't make reservations but we came early at 5p so they accommodated us. What captivated me to come here, was their raw shrimp with raw egg yolk topped over rice. It was so delicious! I couldn't get enough. Their Bossam with oysters, was so good! Complimented well with their raw shrimp entree. They have hot pot Korean style as well. Opted more for their specialty dishes though. Nice dimly lit ambiance. Service was attentive and fast. read more

ILCHA - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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While I tried other dishes on their menu, this review is for their raw marinated crabs only - call ahead to make sure they have it before you come as it's limited on only some days. This is probably my FAVORITE raw marinated crab spot in the city. It's rare to find somewhere that marinated it soy-based. The service was sweet as we came here for our friends birthday but they did have a cake service fee if you brought in your own cake just a heads up. Loved the restaurant vibes, great birthday outing! read more

ILCHA - Soy marinated crabs - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California