Very unique Korean tapas bar with large selection of makgeolli - I'm not totally sold on makgeolli yet but they have a ton! All kinds of different flavors on their menu. It's a sour fermented rice drink. We got pretty much everything on the menu with the exception of the pickles and olives plate. We really wanted the pork jowl but they were sold out (we were seated at 8) - oh well. I really enjoyed everything, the burratta was light and delicious, tuna was great, hamachi excellent, KFC was not super crispy (light breading) but cooked to perfection and I liked the sauce a lot! Nothing was heavy and the dishes are small and thoughtful. Great spot for a date night or bite with friends. Service was excellent as well. read more

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We were super stoked to try Jilli. It's a cute, cozy corner restaurant in the mission with both an indoor and outdoor patio. We had an 8 pm reservation and the host was very welcoming when we got there. We ordered: - perilla noodles - fried maitake - beef tartare - fried chicken - pork jowl - Maekoli flight All the dishes were tasty overall but our favorites were the noodles and the pork jowl. The flight was interesting, some more favorable to our palette than others. One flight was enough for me and my fiancé. Our only downside was our first three dishes came out quickly but the pork and the fried chicken took over an hour, with later tables receiving their same dishes first. By the end, they also tried to take the plates before the rest of the food came out but we couldn't cancel the dishes because they were said to be already in progress. The timing wasn't ideal which was unfortunate because the food and experience was great at the start. Overall the food is good and the service may have just been unlucky. read more

I didn't have high expectations but was very pleasantly surprised by how good the food is here. We made a reservation for 7:30pm on a Wednesday and good thing we did because the place was packed and had a wait! I would definitely recommend making a reservation even for a weeknight. It was quite cozy inside and they also had a heated outdoor patio - not sure if they allow dogs though. We ordered basically their entire menu and the food came out FAST and was so delicious. Everything was cooked perfectly and seasoned very well. The maitake fries and fried chicken were standouts, but everything was tasty. Don't skip dessert because the injeolmi banana panna cotta was the best dessert I've had so far this year at a restaurant. They also have a big drink menu with lots of different makgeolli - we tried their house makgeolli that comes in the traditional tin pot and bowls and it was deliciously fizzy and refreshing and not too sweet. read more

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Good service, hard to find parking, plenty of tables, but reservations are recommended. Friend had a birthday. They gave her a free rice wine drink! Service was great. Only one bathroom. No ice in ANY of their drinks. Fruit Teas do not have fresh fruit. Waygu beef tartar: Meh, flavorless beef with housemade chips. It's very meh all around which means it needs flavor. It needs some pizazz. 2/5 stars Rigatoni kimchi vodka: OMG was this spicy. Don't be fooled when the menu says not that spicy. Didn't taste the kimchi, I live kimchi by the way, I just tasted hot sauce on noodles. We returned this dish. 0/5 Pork jowl: Tender yes, and the veggies to wrap it with were fresh. Problem was, again no real flavor. Couldn't tell this was marinated for 24 hours. Honestly, it could be marinated for one week, and it still would have been plain tasting. 3/5 Perilla oil noodle: Decent, simple noodles that taste like a simple banchan but for double the price. 3/5 Banana Panna Cotta: If it wasn't for this dish I would have starved and died since I didn't eat much of the other dishes because, well, they weren't that interesting. This panna cotta was jello like and tasty, with an extremely light Banana taste and some crunchy things, I think soybeans or something. 4/5 read more

Jilli - Disappointed with their food/flavors - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

I absolutely love Jilli! The makgeolli was so fun to try in a flight with quite a variety of selection. I love how the staff explains the notes of each one. All of the starters and entrees looked absolutely amazing and we devoured each one. My favorite was definitely the pasta, SO GOOD!! The chicken was also so perfectly crisped and delicious. I will definitely be returning for their amazing korean fusion food and delicious makgeolli! read more

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Jilli is really small inside actually but they also have a back patio. The server is very informative and attentive. They recommended 2-3 dishes per person, we got 4 savory dishes and 1 dessert. Tteokbokki: spicy and sweet and a good staple, the rice cake was nice and chewy but honestly nothing crazy and a bit expensive so I wouldn't get this again I feel like I could get more umami ones from somewhere else. Perilla Oil Noodles: people might think this is boring but I actually loved it, very simple flavors, and it really brought out the nutty flavors of both the perilla leaf oil and the soba. Crudo: This was probably one of my favorites, very refreshing and the sauce was a slightly tangy, spicy and sweet korean sauce that's also very unique. It's not the typical just gochujang flavor but had more depth and I loved it. Pork Jowl: Okay this was ACTUALLY my favorite one. The pork jowl has the perfect chew and bite to it and wrapped in perilla leaf and lettuce, they also had 2 sauces that were very flavorful. Even this one is pretty unique. Banana bread panna cotta: Lovely light dessert that was strong banana flavor with some rice crumbles on top! Overall this is a great place for a social dinner I'd come back again! read more

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Pretty interesting fusion Korean bar snack spot Nice cool vibes - moody lighting and good for chatting and catching up Fav dishes were the jowl and yukhoe. They were savory and pretty balanced. Yukhoe had good seasoning and not too slimy and the jowl was tender Maekgolli flight was really interesting and have varying levels of sweetness and infusions with different flavors! read more

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Service: super friendly waitress who checked up on us super frequently.. she gave me a lovely birthday makeoli! It's a small area with some indoor and a cute outdoor seating area with heaters ++++ heaters saved me. Food wise it all tasted great and exactly as expected. My favorite is the popcorn chicken. It was so juicy and crispy and I love the pickled radish. I'd say that's definitely worth trying as well as the fried mushroom. For the sashimi plate I'd say you won't be missing out on much, it looks cool but pretty straightforward. Great place for drinks and catching up with friends! Overall on my list and probably will be back!! read more

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This place is so good!! We ordered a couple items to share between the two of us and may have ordered too much. My top favorite items are probably that Seoul crudo and the pork jowl jeyuk - both absolutely delicious! The rigatoni was also pretty good as well with the kimchi and bacon bits, and the cheese tteokbokki was also surprisingly good and very flavorful! There were crispy bits in this that made it quite nice. Perilla oil noodle was nice palette cleanser for some of the heavier items. The panna cotta was so delicious! Parking is rough but the food and staff are great! There is also patio seating in addition to the indoor tables and bar seating. read more

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Only reason for 4 stars is because I'm not convinced the prices are worth the portions. However, the food, service, and vibes were 5 stars! My friend got the makgeolli drink flight. I had one tiny sip of each. (I don't drink.) But my favorite one was "rice to meet you" which the server said is one of their most popular ones. It tasted like Milkis to me, very sweet. Three of us shared (and slightly over ordered) the below: Maitake fries - lightly fried mushrooms (delicious) Seoul crudo - delicious Perilla oil noodle - cold light noodle dish (good but not memorable to me) Wagyu beef tartare - good flavor but not my fave version of tartare. I like when the beef is smaller pieces or minced Rigatoni - delicious and even though the portion is smaller, it can be filling Pork jowl - delicious but on the heavier side since it's fatty KFC - tasty but not very unique to me (side of pickles are yummy but you can order those alone if you don't want the fried chicken) Banana panna cotta - SO delicious that after the 3 of us shared one, we each ordered an additional one to go...I love banana, and I love panna cotta, so this was my fave from the night! Service was very friendly. We ate outside, and they never forgot about us. I was 30 minutes early for our reservation, and luckily I was able to sit at our table and wait. The outdoor patio is cute with string lights and heaters, but it's uncovered so we got lightly misted on. Bring a coat if you eat outside just in case, but my table mates got too hot from the heat lamps while I loved it. Would come back to get the dishes I liked the most. read more

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Snagged a table here on a Friday afternoon in the patio. I love the concept of the restaurant, really fun tapas and drinks! Between the two of us we ordered the makgeolli flight, tea flight, soy vin pickles, honey butter chips, rigatoni alla kimchi vodka, and pork jowl jeyuk. The food was good and so was the service! read more

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Had a reservation at 6:30 PM on a Saturday for the patio area. Surprisingly it wasn't too cold because they had heat lamps everywhere, even though SF that weekend was super windy and freezing. We ordered the beef tartare with potato chips, tuna dip with crackers, cheese tteokbokki, and kimchi spicy vodka rigatoni. The beef tartare was my favorite dish of the night surprisingly!! It came with a seaweed-based sauce and honestly I was pleasantly surprised by how well it paired with the beef. The umami flavor worked really well together. The tuna dip with crackers was also good, but definitely on the heavier side. Very creamy and rich. The cheese tteokbokki was tasty too. I liked that they added crushed potato chips and fish cake into it because it gave the dish more texture and flavor, but again... very heavy. The kimchi spicy vodka rigatoni was honestly disappointing. I've definitely had better elsewhere and this one tasted pretty mundane :-( My biggest issue overall was that none of the dishes had harmony together. Everything felt too greasy, creamy, heavy, or carb-heavy, so by the end we didn't even really want to keep eating and only finished the pasta dish. The server recommended getting 2 to 3 dishes per person, but honestly we struggled trying to figure out combinations that would actually complement each other. I think it was worth trying once because it's so hyped on social media and I was excited to experience it for myself, but I personally would not come back. read more

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SF definitely needed this craft makgeolli brewery with modern twists on favorite Korean food staples! This has become my favorite restaurant in the city, with a modern ambiance, amazing food (be sure to get the perilla oil cold noodles, pork jowl and rigatoni alla kimchi vodka). I could cry from how delicious the food and drink is here! Jilli gets 5 stars for SAFAV: Service Ambiance Food Alcohol Value for Money read more

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First time trying the makgeolli bar! Great selection but pricey. cute spot with modern chill vibes. Service was quick, food was delicious, overall good experience although if you aren't there for makgeolli, there's better food places read more

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Came here with three other friends and we got a reservation despite it being super busy! Good: - The dishes were all super good and came out quickly - The makgekoli flight tasting was good, though it was a lot less than I thought given how expensive it was. We liked two of them but the other two were pretty sour - The vodka rigatoni was a standout for me, as well as the korean fried chicken - The ttekbokki was amazing too - good texture and very chewy - The place is really cute and good for a date night or casual catchup with friends! Bad: - It's pretty expensive for the amount of food you get, very small portions - It's super packed inside Overall this was solid Korean food, just pricey and fancy. read more

Jilli - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here two days in a row! It was very very very good The ambiance is super nice - I love all the decor in the restaurant, from the lights to the art! I also like the outdoor patio section, which is nicely decorated as well. The service was fantastic! The servers checked up on us periodically and even gave me a free drink for my birthday :) The food was also amazing! I tried the whole menu, and everything was delicious. My favorites were definitely the perilla oil noodles, the crudo, and the beef tartare. It was my first time trying raw beef (yukhoe), and I enjoyed it! The makgeolli (I tried the white lotus and the traditional) was also very tasty! Not too sweet and not much alcoholic taste :) Overall, I loved the ambiance and the food here - definitely would not only come back, but also would recommend to others! read more

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Came here for a girls' night and had a good time! I'd recommend sitting in the back patio since it was decorated nicely with string lights. Our waitress was attentive and checked on us often throughout the meal. There were four of us, and we shared the seoul crudo, yukhoe, kimchi rigatoni, pork jowl, and popcorn chicken. It ended up being the perfect amount since we weren't super hungry. Everything was good overall, but I'd probably pass on the popcorn chicken since there wasn't anything special about it. We also ordered the makgeolli flight. I don't remember the names of the three white ones, but we all enjoyed those. The Red Monkey, on the other hand, was way too acidic for our liking and was pretty hard to drink. Overall, the food was good, but I didn't think it was good enough to justify the price. I'm glad I tried it once, but I don't see myself coming back. read more

Jilli - Yukhoe & Seoul Crudo - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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After months of waiting to try Jili in SF, I finally made it for an early birthday dinner and it did not disappoint. Tucked away on the corner of Mission and South Van Ness, this small but cozy Korean spot is super hip, fun, and full of flavor. Out of the 12 dishes we ordered, my absolute favorites were the hamachi crudo, tuna dip with trout roe, pork jowl skewers, honey butter chips, shrimp toast, burrata with seasonal fruit, and the Wagyu tartare. Honestly, every dish hit. The popcorn shrimp, soy vinegar pickles, rigatoni alla kimchi vodka, and makgeolli flight were also solid. I can't believe it took me this long to get here, but safe to say it was worth the wait. Kicking off birthday month the right way ready to keep the celebrations (and splurging) going. read more

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Been to this Korean spot in the Mission a few times at this point. Focus is on "tapas" and makgeolli. Recommended to order 2-3 plates per person and share. - makgeolli flight - just get it to sample a variety of makgeolli and get a better understanding of the beverage - soy von pickles - sweet and sour and a nice banchan to have with your larger items - soybean clam chowder w potato foam - surprised by how much I liked this. Savory and buttery, perfect if its cold out - perilla oil noodle - must get. Might be my favorite dish, even though it's one of the more simple ones. So refreshing and light - tuna dip + trout roe - another favorite. Generous portion of tuna and trout roe and perfect for sharing - rigatoni alla kimchi vodka - add the burrata for +$4. spicy, creamy, rich. I like it so much I've been R&Ding it at home to replicate - pork jowl jeyuk - another must get. Takes about 20-30 min to prepare so it's the final boss of your meal. Marinated in gochujang and cooked over charcoal. Savory and paired with salsa verde and tomato ssamjang Jilli is a vibe. It's aesthetic and vibey inside, and also features an outdoor patio for dining. Reservations def recommended. read more

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Aww I really wanted to like this place. Food- good. Service- great/ expected. Atmosphere- great/ expected. We finished almost all our food, but to be honest, everything was just okay. I'd happily have it again but for the price, you're really there for the vibes, which is fine, but not what I was hoping for. I went for the food and drinks and the food did not stand out. The drink selection though, great and extensive (and not cheap. $17/19 per glass for their cheaper selection, otherwise it's $30 or more for the bottle.) read more

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Finally tried this spot and it did not disappoint! We made sure to make a resy and were seated outside in the patio. I'd recommend getting a resy since it is a small restaurant. They purposely seated us nicely by how the lighting would be best for our experience at night, while seating us close to the heater. All the food was a hit, there was not a single thing we didn't like. For a table of 4 got quite a few things and it was more than enough: table favorites: -kimchi rigatoni -SO good, perfectly cooked pasta and the kimchi flavor was so delicious (I dropped a noodle and everyone was so sad because it was that good) -shrimp toast - so crisp with juicy shrimp!! -pork jowl - so tender and meaty! other items, still so good: -perilla oil noodles - super tasty and light! loved this -carpaccio - fish in a spicy sauce -Tteokbokki Cheese - classic, how can you not like this -fried chicken - crispy and tasty! The Maekgolli flight was fun with 4 different maekgollis to try. We got a bottle of the sweet one (most popular one, last one on the flight) it tasted like yakult. It was so delicious, would come again to try the tartar or tuna dip, everything on the menu looked tasty. read more

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Been seeing this place on ig and always wanted to try! We sadly couldn't get a reservation because it was all booked so we did a walk in right when they opened. They said as long as they can have the seat back in about an hour, we can dine. We were so lucky. Still great service. We ate outside and it was such a nice day out. The tables are spacious and lots of greenery to give a cozy vibe. The pork belly was soft and juicy and the sauces paired nicely with the lettuce wraps. The rice cakes and cheese were spicy and chewy. I loved the fun sojus and flights that they had. It paired well with all the dishes. Would come here again! read more

Jilli - Tteokbokki Rose Small - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Amazing, I am so happy I got to try Jilli. You'd think it's just tapas but you do get pretty full! I don't drink so I was super pleased they had a non alcoholic tea flight! So you don't feel left out if you don't drink alcohol haha. Some must try's are: - Pork Jowl Bossam - hamachi Crudo - perilla buckweat noodles These three you HAVE to try! We did have the: - Shrimp Toast - beef Tartar Which were good as well, but it's more of the items I can pass on for next time to try others on the menu. I reserved and it was easy to go in... besides other guest cutting. Unfortunately I guess I wasn't waiting too close to the door but I was the first guest waiting and someone just cut us. So beware! If you reserve just stand in front of the door unlike me haha. Otherwise seating and service is super fast with reservations! I'm looking forward to visiting again read more

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Such a cute bar! Obsessed with the yakult flavored makgeolli! First time makgeolli drinkers should definitely opt for the flight for starters. For food we for the kimchi vodka pasta and the Korean fried chicken. The kimchi flavor was pretty subtle and food was really good! Seating is limited to make sure to stop by with a reservation. read more

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I've been wanting to come here for a while and it definitely lived up to the hype! Everything we ate was delicious. We had the rigatoni, beef tartare, Seoul crudo, and honey butter chips. I would recommend trying all the same if it's your first time! Service was quick and friendly and ambiance was great inside other than the tables being a little too close together for my liking. read more

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| June 16, 2026 | Girls night out! We had reservations at 6:30pm via Resy. *Seoul Crudo limited quantity per day *contains raw fish: hamachi crudo drizzled with sesame oil, beet, seasonal citrus (yuzu luxe and mandarin) cho-gochujang (gochujang vinaigrette), and topped with fresh mircogreens (cilantro, wasabi, spring onions) $25 This was one of my favorites! Wagyu Beef Tartare (YUKHOE): seaweed mayo aioli, fried scallion, grana padano, housemade potato chip $24 I would prefer it to be more chopped up. This was a miss for the whole table Perilla Oil Noodle *contains buckwheat: buckwheat noodle, roasted seaweed crumble, perilla oil, perilla leaves $19 Highly recommend Korean Popcorn KFC: kfc comes with yang' yum' sauce & housemade soy vin pickles $23 I enjoyed the soy vin pickles! Rigatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka: not-too-spicy rigatoni vodka with washed kimchi, bacon & cheese (add burrata +4) (can be made without bacon) $23 This was really good and flavorful! Pork Jowl Jeyuk (allow 20-30 mins to cook) : marinated in gochujang for 24 hours, slow grilled over charcoal, with salsa verde and tomato ssamjang Would definitely get this again with the ssam and they timed it perfectly where it didn't seemed long before they brought it out Injeolmi Banana Pana Cotta *contains soybean K-pana cotta with soybean, banana cream, sugar, eggs, gelatin $12 This was so good that we each bought one individually to go Makgeolli Flight $40 read more

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My friend and I were super excited to try this Korean makgeolli bar & tapas restaurant, and it did not disappoint. I made a resy for 5:15 on a Saturday night, arrived 15 minutes early, and was able to get seated immediately. My friend arrived right on time, and the waiter was at our table as soon as she was seated to take our drink order. We ordered the makgeolli flight of the day to start, which included options from classic to dessert/sweet. Later we also placed an order for three plates of tapas. We shared all the makgeolli, and I liked the classic and sweet flavors (the ends) the most. Out of the tapas plates, I like the Seoul crudo the best. It was light, fresh, savory, and perfectly balanced. The shrimp toast was also a solid choice and would get again. The rigatoni alla kimchi vodka was a little less exciting. It arrived at room temperature, which I was not a fan of, as I'd prefer it warm. The pasta was at least al dente, so there was no risk of it falling apart. Overall, this was a solid meetup spot, and the one thing we loved about it was that the music was ambient but not too loud, so we were able to actually hear each other throughout our conversation over dinner. This is one of our major pain points going out, so it was nice that Jilli was so accommodating and provided a comfortable environment with top tier drinks & tapas. read more

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I've been super excited to try this place for a while now, and finally went on a Saturday around 5 PM. We had a reservation so we were seated immediately- on a warm day, I would def opt to sit outside as it was the perfect breezy temperature and it was a cute little garden space. We started with the makgeolli flight, which was a good way to be able to try several flavors but holy cow the Red Monkey one was horrible LOL. Otherwise they were pretty good and gave us a nice buzz. The food was good to drink with, but the portions were just small for how much they cost. The ones we found worth it were the seoul crudo, the pork jowl, and the rigatoni was good but we each got maybe two bites between the four of us. Probably wouldn't come back, but worth the try :) read more

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Admittedly, the food here is good, a shame because the prices are pretty high. $35 for a small slab of jeyuk with no accoutrement aside from a few leaves of kaenip and lettuce feels just shy of highway robbery. That said, every dish was pretty incredible still. From the Seoul Crudo, which I assume is their rendition of traditional hoe (Korean sashimi), to the pasta, everything felt fairly inventive. The rigatoni alla kimchi vodka was good but lacked kimchi flavor, taking on the same profile as any other spicy rigatoni in the city. The Seoul Crudo is good, fresh, and everything you'd want in an Asian-inspired hamachi dish. The jeyuk was a standout and delightfully smoky while being every definition of the word sumptuous. The service is also great, and the waiter goes great lengths to walk you through the samplings of makgeolli. Would I come again? Perhaps? Jilli is unlike any other upscale Korean establishment I've visited in the bay, and their Korean dishes are uniquely good. My one gripe is the price; honey butter chips listed as 8 full dollars just irks me, an emotion that only SF can elicit. read more

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Came with coworkers and immediately loved the energy of the space and the decorations! Service was great and appreciated the rundown of the makgeollis. I had come in with really high expectations for the food, but it, unfortunately, didn't hit the mark for me. We ordered a variety of foods from the menu: pork jowl, shrimp toast, rigatoni alla kimchi, chimmilier popcorn chicken, cheese tteokbokki, pickled radish, and the makgeolli flight! Overall, all items were good but not particularly mind-blowing. The shrimp toast had a nice crispy exterior, but I wish the shrimp itself had more flavor. The pork jowl was juicy and tender and was my favorite of the night. The popcorn chicken was also crispy with a nice flavor, but I felt there were pieces heavier on the skin compared to the meat ratio. The cheese tteokbokki flavor was just a bit lackluster compared to others I've had, so I would go for something more unique like the rigatoni or pork jowl. I really enjoyed the pickled radish sides! The vinegary kick from the pickled radish balanced the other tapas well. All their makgeolli is smooth and the makgeolli flight is a great choice to share as a group. We didn't like the pink strawberry? one, but again thought it was still worthwhile to try. I personally may not visit again, but I do think it's worth trying! read more

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Jilli is a specialty makgeolli bar with korean tapas - the ambiance is immaculate!! Definitely on the more expensive side, but service and vibes are great. Server recommended 2-3 dishes per person, but that ended up being a lot! My main issue is that the menu is quite heavy/oily and less vegetable heavy, so I couldn't eat too much. My favorites were the kimchi rigatoni, crudo, and popcorn chicken. The shrimp toast was good but too oily as the bread soaks up all the oil. read more

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Finally tried Jilli for date night! We were seated outside which was pretty cute although our seat was weirdly facing the wall and some plants. We obviously had to try some of the makgeolli and ended up ordering the flight to try more options. My least favorite was the hana forbidden takju which was pretty sour, but really enjoyed the rest! The easiest to drink was the rice to meet you which our server described as similar to Yakult. I also quite enjoyed the other two - Red Monkey (more unique imo) and white lotus. Food wise, we tried the perilla oil noodles, pork jowel jeyuk, and rigatoni alla kimchi vodka. I see a lot of people rave about the rigatoni - while it was yummy, I thought it wasn't too special. I like the perilla oil noodles which were pretty refreshing. The pork jowl was very tender and flavorful. Overall, a solid spot - fun for date nights or a friends catch up. Personally, it's on the pricier side for the portions. read more

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Food Rating: 7.4/10  Price: 8/10  Ambiance/Service: 10/10  Overall Rating: 8.46/10 Had a reservation at 5:15 on a Saturday and were seated immediately upon arrival. When we tried to order pickled radishes as a side, the waitress kindly let us know that the popcorn chicken already came with them and even offered to substitute with honey butter chips, which was a really thoughtful gesture. The food came out nicely staggered, which worked well since the tables are on the smaller side and gave us enough space to actually enjoy each dish. The ambiance was fantastic and would be perfect for a date night or a night out with friends. Honey Butter Chips - $8 Rating: (8/10) These were super crispy and tasted like they were fried in fresh oil. The flavor leaned sweeter than expected since the menu described them as savory, which caught me off guard. A spicy dipping sauce would have paired really well, and a bit more chives could have helped balance the sweetness. Rigatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka - $23 Rating: (8/10)  Really flavorful dish overall. The pasta was slightly overcooked, and unfortunately there was a hair in the dish. Pork Jowl Jeyuk- $35 Rating: (6/10)  A bit underwhelming, especially as the most expensive item. The pork was on the saltier side, which might have worked better if the sauces were adjusted to balance it out. The sauces themselves were tasty but became overwhelming when combined with the meat. Korean Popcorn KFC - $23 Rating: (8/10) Perfectly fried and super tender chicken. It was a bit too salty though I definitely needed water after a few bites. Pickled radishes were FANTASTIC! Makgeolli Fight of the Day - $40 Rating: (7/10) This was my first makgeolli flight and I would definitely try another one here when the flavors rotate, a bit overpriced though. Two of them were super light and refreshing. The brown rice one and the red monkey one were a bit harder to drink. I think keeping one of those and adding a more fruity option would balance the flight better, but that might just come down to personal preference. read more

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Such a cute Korean tapas place! I've always wanted to come here because I love the concept of the Makgeolli bar and it did not disappoint. We sat outside on the patio and it was a bit chilly since the heaters are spread fairly apart. Makgeolli Flight ($40) - this came with the Traditional Sang Takju, White Lotus, Rice to Meet You, and Red Monkey Makgeolli. My favorite was the traditional one because it was sparkling and I really enjoyed trying a bunch. Rigatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka ($23): This was my second favorite dish! I wish I could've tasted a bit more of the kimchi, but the sauce was really good overall. Shrimp Toast ($18): Loved how crispy this was and the chili sauce it came with. K-Popcorn Chicken ($23): Crispy and spicy, but this didn't taste anything special to me. Still solid fried chicken though. Pork Jowl Jeyuk ($35): My favorite dish here!! The pork jowl was so tender and flavorful. The sauces also paired so well with the lettuce and shiso leaf. Wagyu Beef Tartare ($24): Really tender and fresh tartare. The chips to pair with this were so yummy. Injeolmi Banana Pana Cotta ($12): Ended with a dessert! It was okay to me, but I liked how unique the textures were. It tased like a thicker banana pudding with Cheerios on top to me. read more

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I came here with my family after a BESTEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE WORLD recommended this to me. We took a rideshare, and when we showed up, we were surprised the building was actually a restaurant. It has an indoor and outdoor patio space. I'm pretty sure they are dog friendly out in the patio. This place is known for their Makgeolli. I honestly had no idea there were such a variety of Makgeolli so we ordered the flight to share. The flight came with four different types of Makgeolli, which is already set. So you can't choose your own flavors. My brother ad I had different tastes and so we both gravitated to two of the samples, which worked out for us. For dishes, we ordered: Hamachi Crudo: I LOVE hamachi so I really enjoyed the crudo. The sauce that it came was what did it for me! I would take that sauce home alone! Shrimp toast: This item really didn't capture my attention at first, but it ended up being one of my favorite dish. It's so simple. It's literally shrimp toast, but there's something about it that I loved. It was nice and crispy. I think it's because I really haven't had anything like it before. Pork Jowl Jeyuk: The pork was cooked perfectly. It was actually really delicious! It comes with lettuce wraps. I wish they gave up more lettuce wraps. Because towards the end, we only had the pork left. Cheese Tteokbboki: I thought this was good, but I didn't think it was memorable. Perhaps it's because I've had something similar to it, so it didn't stand out. However, my brother and sis in law loved this dish. Popcorn KFC: I expected this to have more flavor and depth but it was literally just popcorn chicken. The sauce was okay. I feel like they could have done something better with the sauce. It wasn't bad, just not memorable. Perilla Oil Noodle: This is a seasonal dish. Honestly, I can't even remember what it tasted like. We all agreed it was okay. There was another dish we ordered that was solid but not memorial at all as well. I can't even remember what it is! Definitely worth a visit. I like the idea of korean tapas and I loved the direction they took with certain dishes. It's a solid place where some dishes were just okay/good, and others were outstanding. I think that I think everyone should try at least once. read more

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Food focused review - overall enjoyed the experience but be prepared for a very very heavy meal! Best dish is the rigatoni alla vodka (add the burrata)! Pork jowl also has amazing flavor though jowl itself is a little fatty for my personal preference. Shrimp toast is great as well but very heavy. Perilla noodles have too much sauce on it but are refreshing overall. Would come back overall! Hard to book a reservation and they don't have any ice for soft drinks (or I guess any other drinks) for some reason. read more

Jilli - Pork Jowl - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Getting a reservation at Jilli felt like a small victory and honestly, it was worth every effort to snag one! Came here with my best friend for a casual dinner and the size of the restaurant immediately sets the tone. Tiny, cozy, and the kind of place that feels like a find. We ordered the makgeolli, pasta, tartare, and the pork. Everything was a hit across the board. The pork especially stood out and the tartare was beautifully done. The makgeolli was a fun touch that paired really well with the whole meal. For such a small kitchen turning out food like this, it is genuinely impressive. The flavors were intentional, the portions felt right, and the whole experience just clicked. If you can get a reservation, do not hesitate. Jilli is a 10 out of 10 and absolutely a spot I will be returning to! read more

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Jilli is such a gem. If you love Korean food but want something a little more playful and shareable, this is your spot. The whole Korean tapas concept works so well here. Every dish feels thoughtful, beautifully plated, and packed with flavor. We ordered a mix to share and honestly there was not a single miss. The flavors were bold but balanced, and you can tell the ingredients are high quality. It is the kind of place where you keep saying "just one more bite" until the plates are empty. The highlight for me was the makgeolli flight. It is such a fun and unique experience, especially if you have only ever had makgeolli once or not at all. Each one had its own personality, from lightly sweet and creamy to more crisp and tangy. It paired perfectly with the food and made the whole meal feel special. The atmosphere is cozy but lively, great for a date night or a night out with friends. The staff was warm, knowledgeable, and happy to guide us through the menu and the makgeolli options. I will absolutely be back. Jilli delivers on flavor, creativity, and experience all at once. Highly recommend. read more

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Came to Jilli's for my bf's birthday. We arrived a few minutes before they opened at 5, and was promptly seated when it was 5 exactly. The patio seating was really nice, clean and the breeze was great. General overview is that the food is good but nothing mindblowing for the price (3/5). However, the service was beyond amazing and the ambiance was enjoyable as well which is why I will give this place a 4/5 The food in detail: Cheese Tteokbokki (3/5) : First, the tteokbokki was good BUT it doesn't take much to make a GOOD tteokbokki. The problem here is the portion size, the pricepoint, and the added toppings that supposedly make up the price point. The fried seaweed crisps were yummy but didn't add much to the dish other than the crunchy texture which the fried potato strips also gave. I'm just not sure whether these small additions actually elevated the dish to justify the price of the small portion size... Pickled Daikon (5/5) : This was very necessary to get to balance out the greasiness of our following dishes. Very nice crunch and flavor. Pork Jowl (5/5) : I do think the Pork Jowl was the best dish here that I ordered and the portion size was satisfying. The flavor of the jowl itself was nice and the sauces that accompany it enhanced the flavor very nicely. I loved that they had perilla leaf along with the lettuce for the wrap :) Shrimp Toast (Menbosha) (2/5) : This was the biggest letdown. We came here as my partner really really wanted to try Menbosha again after having it once in SoCal. I have a love/hate relationship with Menbosha in general, I love the crunch and the bounce of the shrimp fililng but hate the mouthfeel of the grease. What Jilli did great was getting rid/minimizing the oiliness of the bite however, the sauce they provided was a 'chili vinaigrette' which made no sense because it's adding BACK the oil that they had successfully minimized initially. very disappointing. But without the sauce, the taste and crunch of the menbosha was delicious. Again, the service was amazing, beyond exceptional thus the 4/5 rating. The food was just a little lackluster- tasted good but nothing mind blowing or memorable read more

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Really cute restaurant with great ambiance, but unfortunately I was a bit disappointed with the food. The two of us ordered 5 dishes but the portions were small for the price. My favorite was the Seoul crudo which was very refreshing, and the pork jowl jeyuk was super tender. My least favorite was the popcorn KFC - it was kind of dry and nothing special. Service was friendly and relatively fast. It's a nice date spot and probably better to go for drinks rather than a full meal. read more

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