Everything here was so good! I came with my coworkers and it was a fun mix of options that let them try a lot of new korean food/flavors. We enjoyed every item we got - personal faves were the rigatoni, pork jowl, burrata salad, and yukhoe, but I'd happily order any of the dishes again. Everything was cooked well - meat was tender and juicy, fried items were crispy and not greasy, and the spice level was a good amount of heat. The pickles were also a great palate cleanser between items, and the various makgeolli flavors in the flight were all fun to try. Service was great, and the staff was very attentive. They brought food out quickly with helpful explanations of each dish. The indoor space is pretty small but cozy and warmly lit, with cute posters and lights up. There also is an enclosed back patio that looked very cute. This is probably one of my favorite new Korean spots I've tried, and I'm looking forward to coming back. read more

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We got a reservation for 7 pm outside and it was nice and warm. We had to share a long table with another party but it wasn't a big deal. We got 6 dishes to share between the 3 of us and the portions were pretty small for tapas style. 7.5/10 tuna dip I thought it was good but not amazing.. there was a lot and you can ask for more crackers though 8.4/10 rigatoni super yummy but the portions were just so small for pasta.. I can't taste much kimchi tho it just taste like gochujang pasta w pork belly 7.2/10 cheese ttteokbokki it was okay very cheesy 7.7/10 crudo it was good the sauce was very spicy and sour 9/10 alc flight the rice wine was very smooth and good it was one shot each for all three of us 8.6/10 shrimp toast I thought it was good very crispy and oily but good 7.8/10 kfc chicken was good and they give a lot of radish We did get kicked out at 8:30 for another reservation though Overall it was okay I don't know if I would go back for the price and portions. ($210 for 3 of us) read more

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Fun place to try for dinner! Made reservations for 2 a week in advance. Ambiance was great, we were seated out on the patio with heatlamps. Ordered a few plates to chair and the flight. My favorite would have to be the pork jowl and pasta. read more

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Yummy but I think it's overhyped! We enjoyed the crudo, burrata seasonal fruit salad, kfc and tiramisu. The salad was sooo good! The crudo was tasty, but lacked depth and the kfc was fine but not as light or crispy as expected and the chicken quality didn't seem on par. The tiramisu was amazing however with a light chestnut flavor. We also had the tteokboki which was fine but not standout. read more

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I am such a sucker for a new Korean restaurant, especially more unique tapas style/pochas, so that instantly put jilli at the top of my list when they opened. It was so popular at first so I couldn't get a res, but we finally got to try it for my sister's birthday. We heard really good things so we walked in with no doubts that we would love it. Unfortunately ... we were a bit disappointed with the food. The restaurant was really cute, and the dining room wasn't huge but it was also never full when we were there. We obviously had to try their makgoelli flight, which was actually quite good. And they were really sweet and gave my sister an extra glass for her birthday. The menu isn't huge, and we wanted to try all of their popular dishes, so for two people we ordered: the trout dip, yukhoe (beef tartare), shrimp toast, popcorn chicken, carbonara, and pork jowl. The menu said that we should order ~2-3 dishes per person, but the portions were MUCH bigger than we thought. Nothing really wowed us, and because the table was so small I think they really tried to course out our dishes, but because of that we ended up sitting there for quite a while waiting for the pork jowl and fried chicken to come out. Overall, I'm really glad we finally had the opportunity to try Jilli, but I don't think we'll be coming back any time soon. read more

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The service is great, we were able to be seated without a reservation. The vibe inside is very appealing it's perfect for hanging out with friends. I like the crudo the most, and the burrata salad the least. The crudo was presented nicely and the flavor was nice. Unfortunately the burrata is all you could taste in the salad. read more

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Heard great things about this place, so made a reservation for 2. This spot is pretty quaint! We were seated right away and food came immediately. I also love how the menu was set up. It tells you wha food/drinks would go together plus what the makkoli tastes like! Makkoli Flight: 9/10! Enough to try for 2. Even for a couple free ones for my birthday! Shoutout to our waiter for overhearing haha Hamachi Crudo: 9/10! Came with spicy sauce. Wagyu Beef Tartar: 9/10! Pretty heavy, came with chips, and very filling. I used it to too on top of the shrimp toast, too. Rigatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka: 9/10! Pretty standard, and can't go wrong! Honestly paired well with everything we had. Tuna Dip + Trout Roe: 10/10! Got this instead of dessert and it's so good! Came with 2 diff types of crackers. Shrimp Toast: 4/10! Not my fave out of everything we had. A little bland. Overall, love the vibe, food came quick, and waiter was very attentive and helpful. I'd love to come back to try other items! read more

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Having tried Jilli LA a while ago and loved it, I was ecstatic when I first found out that a location in SF's Mission District was opening up. A friend and I were finally able to stop by earlier this month on a Tuesday night, but I was left wondering if the difference in experience was just due to the dishes we ordered or if I had a few too many before the first time around. You're going to want to reserve a seat at either the bar, a table, or their outdoor patio a week or so in advance so you don't get turned away at the door like I did at one point. Decor is moody and eccentrically geometric, with lots of different lighting styles that are a treat to look at. We were seated at the bar right next to the front door, which made our dinner a bit drafty, but our British server whose name I unfortunately cannot recall right now was pleasant enough. Our initial choice, the Rice To Meet You, was unfortunately sold out, so we settled for a pot of the Sang that was nothing particularly special. Seoul Carpaccio: Visually interesting but lacking depth. No qualms with the halibut sashimi, but the purported "cho-gochujang" legitimately looked and tasted like they thinned out a few tablespoons of regular gochujang, sprinkled some sesame seeds on top, and called it a day. Wagyu Yukhoe Beef Tartare: This was the only carryover from the LA location I wanted to try here, and it tasted fairly consistent. The fried scallion was particularly pungent in each bite, and I would have preferred a little more of the seaweed mayo aioli as I felt it added an appreciable complexity to the beef itself. The chips were seasoned well and we actually ended up eating them with a number of various sauces from other dishes. As a personal aside, might be interesting to add pear. Chimmelier Popcorn KFC: The biggest disappointment of the night: did not taste like much more than overly breaded frozen boneless nuggets fried with basil and very heavily salted. I enjoyed the pickled radish and yangnyeom dip more than I did all of the chicken - and for $23? Pork Jowl Jeyuk: Funnily enough, the best dish came right after the worst. This order requires a 25 minute wait, so if you're looking to try it I recommend ordering it at the beginning of your visit. The slab of pork jowl is roasted beautifully, gaining a truly admirable char and an unparalleled smoky flavor. Within the meat, the fat is rendered to perfection and literally liquifies the moment it enters your mouth. It's served with lettuce, perilla leaves, and two sauces, a seeming ssamjang derivative and what tasted like a mint-forward salsa verde that were both delicious. I would actually return for this. At most every turn during this meal, I felt like this emoji :/ Happy I had good company, because had I not I would have left grumpier than I did. Still a beautiful space and looking forward to seeing them grow. read more

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Jilli is a vibey and intimate Korean fusion spot in the Mission that has enticed me with its exterior decor for a long time before I finally managed to visit recently! price: ~$60/person recs: rigatoni, tteokbokki - Kimchi Rigatoni: Pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, and the sauce had a nice punchiness that came from the kimchi. - Tteokbokki: Probably my favorite -- it's a deceptively decent portion size considering how small the bowl looks. The sauce was savory and sweet with the perfect kick. I love a good textural contrast, and the crunchy bits paired so well with the chewiness of the rice cakes. - Hamachi Crudo: I honestly really liked the sauce on this and can still remember the taste several days later. The fish tasted fresh, and the sauce was sweet and tangy. - White Lotus Makgeolli: Staff explained this as having an earl grey taste, which was very accurate. This was equal parts creamy and floral, and we both really enjoyed the whole bottle! Staff was super nice and explained the menu in lots of detail. But there were a lot of hiccups with our dining experience that I was super surprised to encounter with a restaurant that's been so hyped for so long -- some incorrect orders, and a bit of confusion about what our order was. Given the price point, I did go into this dining experience with more of a mind for a smooth dining experience than good value for food. Overall though, everyone was really nice, and we got everything we ordered and demolished every bite! read more

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I've had two excellent visits here. The inside dining room is small, but cozy and certainly a vibe. During my second visit we were seated on the patio. It was pretty cold outside and even with the heat lamps, we struggled to stay warm. Although the menu is brief, the items it contains are absolute superstars! My personal highlights include: burrata, shrimp toast, rigatoni, and popcorn KFC. The makgeolli flight of the day is fun if you're into sweet booze. This is an excellent place for date night. Make sure to get a reservation since seating is constrained. read more

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The hottest new drinking spot, San Francisco's first makgeolli bar Jilli just opened! Light, sparkling and slightly fruity, makgeolli is Korea's traditional rice wine, and Jilli takes it to the next level with craft flights and creative Korean-inspired bites. My favourite was the Sang Makgeolli with cremy banana melon notes, imagine a tangy and almost yogurt like drink! On the table, get crispy Korean fried chicken (in collab with chimmelier), grilled pork jowl and my favorite- spicy kimchi rigatoni (you can get it topped with burrata!). They even have summer exclusives like perilla oil noodles. The vibe is cozy and lively, perfect for a date night, girls' night or just trying something new with friends. Pro tip: this spot is hot so grab a reservation on Resy before it fills up! read more

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Korean tapas bar with a beautiful ambiance full of glowy lantern lights, projector film, and fun art. It's hidden in the corner of an apartment complex, but once you step inside it's like another world. Very popular spot, so would make sure to book a reservation in advance to get a table. They're known for their makgeolli rice wine, so of course we had to order the sampler flight. It came with fun flavors like blueberry and red rice. Definitely hit or miss on some of them. The citrus was too sour for me. Favorite was the original rice flavor with its light sweet creaminess. For food we ordered: Seoul crudo: 10/10 The fish was so fresh and paired well with the gochujang vinaigrette. It had the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Loved the plating of the fish in the shape of a rose. Shrimp toast: 8/10 Juicy shrimp with a flaky crust, but a little oily. Popcorn chicken: 9/10 So tender and pretty big pieces. It came with a rich tangy sauce and pickled radish. Kimchi vodka pasta: 9/10 Can't go wrong with a classic pasta. Decent portions for tapas and drinks were strong. Would love to come back to try the pork jowl dish. Overall an amazing time here! read more

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my party of 7 made a resy for 645 on thursday on the patio and it did get cold but they have a nice fire going on the outside. a nice tapas shareable place with many options to choose from, but i was definitely still a bit hungry afterwards. we sampled all the main dishes (minus the olives, pickles, seasonal fruit and the banana pana cotta) and i would say that everything is pretty solid, but there are a couple that i liked more than others. we got a lotus maekgeolli that did have a slight floral taste, one bottle for 5 people and everyone got one glass. this is on the pricier side around 60 per person which is kinda insane given how small the bites were... would order maybe 2 for the entire party: perilla oil noodle wagyu beef tartare rigatoni alla kimchi vodka (one with burrata) pork jowl jeyuk tuna dip + trout roe would only order one dish: korean popcorn kfc cheese tteokbokki read more

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Service 10/10 Food 10/10 Drinks 10/10! Seating was outside but there were heat lamps. Everything was perfectly cooked and so delish! We got the pork jowl, tuna and trout roe dip, kfc fried chicken, and rigatoni. My favorites were the pork jowl and tuna + trout roe dip and makgeoli flight (esp nasang makgeoli). We will definitely be back! read more

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Stumbled upon this restaurant, but it was quite the delight. Relatively small, but packed for what we later found out was during their grand opening. Ended up placing our name down for the waitlist, took a stroll to Garden Creamery (popular asian ice cream) and came back an hour later! Ordered the Wagyu yukhoe, rigatoni and the perilla oil noodles. - Wagyu yukhoe was perfectly seasoned and soft - Kimchi rigatoni was al dente and creamy with a hint of heat. Would totally own an entire bowl of this if I could - Perilla oil noodles was umami and so unique. Very refreshing, maybe could've done with a bit more seasoning to bring out the flavors The flavors were rich in flavor and presentation, but portion sizes are definitely tiny and pricey. Would recommend ordering 2-3 plates per person! Definitely an intimate space for a date or girls night catch up read more

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Jilli is such a cute spot for date night or dinner with friends. They even have a counter bar if you're a solo diner and don't want to miss out on Jilli! I really enjoyed the food at Jilli, and I'm extremely pick as a Korean who makes a lot of their own food. My favorites were the cheese tteokbokki, pork jowl, and carpaccio. The tteokbokki sauce was perfectly balanced with spice and a little bit of sweetness. I sometimes find restaurant tteokbokki to be way too sweet but this one was great! They don't skip on the fish cakes, rice cakes or cheese either! The pork was amazinggg! Perfect texture and hardly any fat (which I love). The sauces were amazing too! I enjoyed starting the meal with the carpaccio too. The fish tasted fresh and the microgreens and vinaigrette paired perfectly with the buttery raw fish! We also ordered the fried chicken but it was just okay! I felt like it was the only dish that I could have done without because I was quite full and also it wasn't outstanding. I liked the sang takju makgeolli and my partner got the Hana heaju makgeolli but didn't enjoy it. It had a weird after taste. Although the makgeolli was decent, it wasn't much better than what I buy from h mart in the plastic bottles. And it definitely wasn't as good as my fave makgeolli spot in nyc. I'd suggest that Jilli make their own makgeolli and infuse it with amazing flavors! Will def come back here for food but probs not drinks! read more

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Came here a few times with my friends and have had such a good time both times! The 막걸리 they get from LA is absolutely is insane. The flight is a cool option to try out different flavors of the rice wine. The restaurant itself is so cute and I love the outdoor area for warmer nights. The service is great and they are so kind and helpful. They all know a lot about their drink menu so it's super fun asking them about the different alcohol. I really liked the chicken, the taretare, the chicken, and the kimchi pasta. Will definitely come back! read more

Jilli - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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our server recommended we ordered 2-3 tapas each person, so we ordered almost the entire food menu (all dishes but 3). 10 plates for 4 of us were too much but we enjoyed them. we also got the makgeolli flight. I thought that all the dishes were decent but most were overpriced for the portions 1. seoul crudo ($23) 2. honey butter chip ($8) 3. shrimp toast ($17) 4. wagyu beef tartare ($24) 5. tuna dip + trout roe ($21) 6. rigatoni alla kimchi vodka ($23) 7. chimmelier popcorn kfc ($23) 8. perilla oil noodle ($18) 9. cheese tteokbokki ($21) 10. pork jowl jeyuk ($35) 11. makgeolli flight ($40) read more

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1 star - Started Okay, Then... Visited Jilli, a makgeolli bar with Korean tapas, for a 5PM reservation as a party of two. The concept is really appealing, and the staff seemed friendly upon our arrival. **Atmosphere:** They crammed as many tables they can into a tiny place. Next table knocked over my stuff on to floor as they were moving. And we constantly had to move our bottle to make avoid people hitting it with their butts. **The Food:** We ordered a makgeolli flight and a bottle of chungju to drink, along with several dishes: - **Rigatoni**: Decent execution on the pasta with an interesting Korean twist (addition of kimchi). Not bad overall. - **Yukhoe**: Tasted like beef ceviche - interesting preparation, giving a different texture and flavor to a traditional dish. - **Shrimp toast**: Ground shrimp sandwiched into micro toast, quite greasy from the chili oil (mustard did not help). - **Pork jowls**: Good flavor, though the 20-30 minute cooking time is something to keep in mind if you are asked to leave mid-dining if their reservation is back-to-back (you have an unnotified 90-minute dining - not mentioned on any platform). - **Popcorn KFC**: Didn't get to try this - I was planning to order it in a second round. -**Flight of Makgeolli**: One of them tasted horrible (the first one I tried). Even for someone who enjoys alcohol of all kinds, this was horrible. It was like a mouthful of untasteful, rotten, bitter cabbage. The food was decent overall, but it wasn't fantastic enough for me to come back for it. Most importantly, however, our very quiet party of two that never even called over the servers once got asked to leave in 10 minutes because they have this unspoken 90-minute back-to-back dining rule. Then came the problem We were suddenly told we needed to leave in 10 minutes because they had back-to-back reservations. This was my first time ever being asked to leave a restaurant, especially nowhere near closing time. I immediately checked their website, Resy, and Yelp - there is no mention of any 90-minute dining limit anywhere. If this policy exists, it should be clearly stated when you make a reservation AND when you're seated, before you order. I would have ordered completely differently (or not at all) if I had known we were on a timer. Bottom line The lack of transparency about time limits is unacceptable. Being rushed out while you're still dining is poor hospitality, regardless of how friendly the staff is otherwise. I won't be returning, and I'd caution others to be aware this might happen to you too. read more

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Dang I really wanted to like this place. The menu sounds SOO good conceptually. But unfortunately the execution wasn't what I expected and they were out of some items I was looking forward to. We got the chowder, cheese tteukpokki, chicken, shrimp toast, and the vodka pasta. The chicken was pretty bad ngl. It tasted like popcorn chicken, and a below average one. Not korean fried chicken at all :( The tteukpokki was solid but nothing special. The vodka pasta was decent but also wouldn't order again The chowder was also quite normal. Just felt like a usual bowl of chowder 5/10 Shrimp toast I was a bit disappointed by too. Quite oily i give it a 6/10 The makgeolli flight was good but a bit expensive at $40 Overall I think I just had really high expectations and it fell really short :( SAD read more

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What a great eclectic vibe inside. Great place for a debrief and yap. Small bites and nice ambiance. We got the beef tartar, shrimp toast and kimchi pasta and dessert. The beef tartar was pretty good.. not too dry. I think my favorites were the shrimp toast and kimchi pasta. Maybe you can make something similar at home for the pasta, but they do a pretty good job here. Good service. The tiramisu was also light and airy, good way to end the meal. read more

Jilli - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Do yourself a favor and make a resy in advance because you will not regret visiting this spot AT ALL. I knew that I wanted to try Jilli after seeing a couple of videos on it because I looove korean rice wine aka makgeolli. I also am a sucker for small bites and bites so this looked like the perfect spot. We had a 6:30 pm reservation on a Saturday night and boy am I glad I grabbed this reservation because it was completely full and they were turning away parties of 1-2 people at the door because they were booked for the entire night. Keep in mind your reservation gets you the table for a certain period of time depending on party size so order strategically! We did have to wait just a couple minutes for the table but they were super sweet and gave us a little taste of the chestnut makgeolli to try while we waited. Spoiler alert it was deeelish. Food wise, we got the perilla oil noodles, KFC (which comes with soy vin pickles), spicy rice cakes, rigatoni (sans the bacon), and the pork for my omnivore friends. We also grabbed a makgeolli flight which was so fun to experience and absolutely delicious. The perilla oil noodles were cool, refreshing, perfectly seasoned; the spicy rice cakes were spicy, savory, and rich with the melted cheese on top. The pasta was so darn good and had the perfect kick without being too tart or fermented for a kimchi pasta. My friends loved the chicken and the pork so highly recommend for omnivores. The interior is a red-filter light, cozy vibe, the food is delicious, and the drinks are good. Prices are fair for the quality and location and I will absolutely go back to this spot next time I'm in the city. Will recommend this 5ever so please go! read more

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Heard about this place form a few friends and gave it a try. Not a particular fan of the food but it is a cute date spot with lots of shareable and cool makgeolli options which SF doesn't have. The flight was really cool, got to try different makgeollis that you wouldn't normally have access too. Definitely recommend this for the experience. Vodka Pasta: I absolutely loved this with the burrata. Great spice balance with the creamy burrata. Bossam: I liked the sauce options that they had so you can do different wraps. Not a particular fan of how it was cooked, as it was a lot chewier than I expected compared to traditional bossam. Shrimp Toast: Fried to crispy. Good appetizer but not really a standout for me personally. Steak Tartare: Personally wished it was chopped so finely to the point of mashed. I prefer it to be cubed but traditional yukhwe is made that way so understandable. Chip to tartare ratio wasn't great as we ran out before we were even halfway through the tartare. Overall, cute spot but I don't see myself coming back unless there are new menu options or my friends want to go. read more

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I like the idea of a Makgeolli bar in SF thats got a nice vibe and large selection of Makgeolli served with Korean-styled tapas. Going for the first time, it made sense to try the flight of the day. With 4 different Makgeolli types, I guess it's not likely you'll like all of them. I was not a fan of the Red Monkey but the other three served were great. $40 for the flight is a bit steep though, price wise Food was pretty good. The popcorn kfc was a 9/10. Nice texture and flavor, and paired very well with the drinks. Definitely recommend this as something to munch on while drinking. The carpaccio was a 8/10. Nice flavor, and fresh. Was surprised by this one, the sauce its surrounded by was quite good Shrimp toast was 7.5/10. Solid and easy to snack on. Nice and crispy + had some shrimp inside. Service was great, at times due to limited space it was tough to hear the servers. But not an issue. Overall, solid place. Biggest complaint would be that the price is pretty steep for a tapas + makgeolli place. That would be the primary factor i would consider if i were to come again read more

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Jilli was a pleasure! The staff really stood out to me, they were kind and attentive, engaged with us at the perfect level. We tried the perilla oil noodle and pork jowl. The noodle was underwhelming - not very flavorful - but the pork jowl was incredible. Would definitely come back for it. The vibe of the place felt intimate but social, a great mix. Didn't have a big appetite this time but would love to return to try the other meat dishes. Overall, a 4.3/5. read more

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Walking in on a Saturday night when it opened at 5pm, we were shocked to learn there wasn't any opening until 8:30pm. In an unbelievable turn of events my friends and I never got Korean fried chicken while we were in Korea so we had a craving, so we decided to wait. Makgeolli flight: 3/10 we did not like how any of these tasted. In Korea it's pretty mild and maybe these are stronger with higher alcohol content and a bite? Popcorn Chicken: sadly 5/10 kind of dry Wagyu Beef Tartare: 6/10 it was ok but we ended up leaving a lot of it, not super flavorful tbh rough out the meat and not enough chips to meat ratio. We're not big tartare people and mostly ordered it because the pork jowl was sold out. Rigatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka: 9/10 this was pretty good! We were bummed they ran out of the perilla oil noodle but this one might have been better. If going at the end of the day do expect most things to be sold out, so maybe try waiting in line even earlier to be in the front of the line or making a reservation! read more

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As I search my soul for a saving grace I'm afraid I've come up short. While the service at Jilli is extremely welcoming, the food and attached price tag is hard to hype up We ordered most things on the menu, with some favourites being the shrimp toast and the pork jowl. Shrimp toast had a surprisingly soft filling, providing a nice mouth feel for a cold evening. Crudo tasted good, with a refreshing sauce. Rigatoni was honestly nothing to write home about, any pasta spot would do this much better and probably worth a skip The honey chips taste exactly as you might expect. Tteokbokki also an average dish, along with the perilla noodles, while refreshing, not worth the price tag We also got the makeolli flight, which has rotating flavours. We a purple rice one which was hard to push down with its sourness but our other three went down much easier read more

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I came with my partner on a Saturday evening and had a reservation. We were seated outside but it was a very windy day, there were heat lamps but it was still cold which made it harder for me to enjoy my food. They recommend 2-3 dishes per person and they're quite pricey. We ended up ordering the perilla leaf oil noodles, pork jowl, yellowtail crudo, and Korean fried chicken. The service was very fast which was nice. I liked the perilla leaf oil because it was sweet and very flavorful. The pork jowl was tender and came with ssam and sauces. I thought it was good but the portion was pretty small. The yellowtail crudo was nice and I liked the spicy sauce that went with it. Lastly, the Korean fried chicken was alright. It definitely wasn't life changing but it was a good way to end the meal. Overall, I thought it was a nice restaurant and meal but would only come back again for a special occasion. read more

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San Francisco finally has its first makgeolli bar, and I was so excited to check out Jilli! I originally thought they brewed their own makgeolli or had a special housemade version, but it turns out they sell bottled options from other brands. The food is on the pricier side for the small tapas portions, but everything we tried tasted delicious. The standout for me was the cheese tteokbokki because the sauce was the perfect mix of sweet, savory, and spicy. I love heat and found it pretty mild at first, but the spiciness creeps up slowly in a satisfying way. The shrimp toast was my second favorite with its perfect crispness. The popcorn KFC was crispy and pretty juicy. We also tried the pork jowl, which was delicious, though I wish it came with a few more slices. It came with what I think was a chimichurri sauce and homemade Gochujang sauce, which was an interesting and tasty pairing. As for drinks, we ordered the makgeolli flight for $40. I thought this was only okay overall. Out of the four glasses, we only really enjoyed one, so we ended up ordering a full bottle of that one afterward. Service was friendly, and the ambiance was dim and moody. Definitely make a reservation ahead of time because it's a small space and it fills up fast! read more

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My photos aren't the best due to the cool red light. plus I forgot one dish....But we loved the food last Friday night! The dip with fish was so crave-able & somehow nostalgic... like tuna on crackers deal but elevated of course!!! I wish we got more food but we got full fast, odd since portions here are normal sized. Highly recommend because the flavors are unique, bold and bright. read more

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Hard to be excited about this place. I showed up with my date on the first chilly day after a warm snap, and immediately noticed that the restaurant was cold because they keep the door to their patio open at all times. So if you suffer hot flashes, this could be the place for you! For the rest of us, being a jacket. The staff were nice and quick, and seated us efficiently. What I didn't count on is that the menu is short, so there's not a lot to choose from. They specialize in a kind of Korean rice wine called makgeolli. I ordered a tasting flight out of curiosity. It varied from fairly dry to extremely sweet. Not to my taste. Even by the standards of a tapas plate, some of the food servings are very small. I got the fish carpaccio, and though tasty I thought the serving was tiny for the price. This was my overall impression of the place: largely decent food but soul-crushingly expensive for what you get. In fact, two dishes felt like so little food that I had to put in an emergency order of the burrata salad. I feel like I should write "salad" instead, because it was cloyingly sweet, sloppy, and frankly disgusting. If I hadn't been desperately hungry due to the other tiny servings, I'd have pushed it around on my plate after a bite or two. So overall, not a good experience. I was cold the entire time; everything was too expensive and too small; and one of my three dishes and most of the makgeolli were gross. Not a place I'd return to. read more

Been here twice! loved it both times. came here both times for GNO. Here are the dishes that I would get: kimchi pasta, pork jowel, seoul crudo, and the chips. also really love the mango rice beer that I got. me and a GF shared one can and that was the perfect amount for us. If I come with 4 people then I would want to try the makgeolli flight next time! read more

Came here for my birthday dinner on a Tuesday night. We had a reservation around 8pm and were sat immediately outside on the patio. There was only one server that night but the food came out really quickly! All the dishes were amazing and fun to try a little bit of everything! We loved the rice cake sauce and dipped the shrimp toast in it. Additionally, the tartar was a standout for sure. Definitely worth checking out! read more

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We got lucky with a walk in and were able to get seated fairly quickly. The staff were very kind and accommodating. We shared a makgeolli flight, shrimp toast, wagyu beef tartare, popcorn kfc, and the rigatoni alla kimchi pasta. Very much enjoyed the pasta! Flavorful with a kick. I am also such a fan of yukhoe and their rendition was great. I did feel like the shrimp toast was more heavy on the breading than shrimp and although the popcorn kfc was very juicy and tender, my friend thought the seasoning reminded them of Quickly's. I really wanted to try the diy salmon kimbap, but it wasn't on the menu when I came. read more

Jilli - Shrimp Toast, Wagyu Beef Tartare, Popcorn KFC, Rigatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Went to Jilli with my friends and had an okay experience. We booked an early evening sitting and two of us got sat down right away as we awaited our friend. I'm not sure if our waiter was new or too eager, but he kept asking us if we knew what to order 3/4 times in the spam of 5-10min as we were waiting for our friend, then when she finally arrived and barely sat down, and when she finally had a chance to look at the menu. It was a bit off putting. Here's what we ordered and my thoughts: * Yukhoe - it was tasty but a bit under seasoned for my personal taste/ the seaweed felt a tiny bit overpowering * the popcorn fried chicken was the biggest disappointment of the evening. It was dry and bland. I'm not sure if this was a one-off but it was underwhelming. * the cabbage salad was nice and crunchy * the pork jowl was our favorite dish of the evening. Incredibly tender and flavorful. It was delicious. * the poutine was nice and tasty * I enjoyed one of their makgeolli drinks and we shared their 2 dessert options. Solid The inside is well decorated with nice ambiance. I could be open to coming back and trying other dishes. read more

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What an AWSOME spot! I really enjoyed the atmosphere, the decor, the staff, the food. I went with a friend and we absolutely loved our dinner there. It can get pricey, but I feel the food is well worth it. The only dish that didn't wow us was the tuna and roe. It was good but not as special as the other dishes we had. read more

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Fun ambiance, love the inside with the projector and cozy feel. Saw they also have a nice outdoor patio as well! Makgeolli menu makes this a fun spot and they have great selection! - Pork jowl: tender and meaty, nicely wrapped with the sauces. Some pieces had too much flaky salt - Kimchi rigatoni: delicious, such a good balance of spice and creaminess. Bacon and kimchi bits were perfect, was left wanting a bigger portion - Shrimp toast: nice and crispy, loved the accompanying sauce with mustard - Fried chicken: weakest dish because it was ordinary but it was still executed well - juicy and crispy. Wish it had a more seasoned crunch batter read more

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Such a cute spot! Very intimate and with a fun patio for a hot day. We particularly enjoyed the kimchi vodka pasta and the shrimp toast. Wish the tteokbokki had more rice cakes and less fish cakes. Will be back for a few small plates! Also staff was super kind, even brought us a birthday drink to celebrate! read more

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I was really excited about a makgeolli bar opening in SF but Jilli unfortunately did not live up to the hype I was expecting. While I am glad the restaurant managed to squeeze us in without a reservation, I do think they could do a better job with communication. We were told the next available reservation was not until 8:45pm (almost 2 hours later), so we put our names down, left and came back. However, when we returned at the time of our reservation, no one checked in with us. There's a sign in front of the door that indicated to wait outside to be seated so we did, and after waiting another 20min we finally walked in to talk to the staff. They told us they checked outside at 8:30pm and no one was here so they assumed we were no longer waiting, and didn't bother to check again at 8:45pm. We didn't end up getting seated until 9:10pm and kitchen was almost closing. Food-wise, it was pretty good but a little expensive. We got the rigatoni alla kimchi vodka which was quite unique. We were able to taste the kimchi and it was probably our favorite dish. The fried chicken was really juicy and I liked the dipping sauce. Honey butter chips were also delicious and very shareable. But, we were here to try the makgeolli and there was such a wide variety of options! We ended up getting the makgeolli flight, but honestly we should've gone for one full bottle of the Sang Takju instead since that was the only one we really liked in the flight. But, at least we tried some of the flavors that we wouldn't otherwise have ever tried. Overall, it was an okay experience and I'm glad I finally got to try it. However, I'd recommend making a reservation if you want to come here because it's not worth the wait. read more

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Be prepared to wait in line or make a reservation in advance to avoid the wait. We went 30 minute before they opened and were 4th in line. They are known for their Makgeolli. You can get makgeolli flights , per pitcher, or per glass. We tried the sour makgeolli and prefer the sweet ones more. They have tapas as food options so it's recommend to get 2-3 orders per person. We got the following: Wagyu Beef Tartare Shrimp Toast - my favorite! Highly recommend Perilla Oil Noodle - pretty good. Really refreshing. Perfect palate cleanser Pork Jowl Jeyuk - this was really bland Overall the food was good but on the pricer end. Definitely a cute place to drink and catch up with friends. read more

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