I've been looking forward to visiting Jilli after it first opened since I believe it's the first Makgeolli bar in SF. I recommend making a reservation ahead of time since it's a small space and trendy so it can get pretty busy. They have an outdoor area, but it's starting to get really cold in sf so I recommend the main dining room. We had a good dining service. The staff were knowledgeable about the menu and gave us some makgeolli samples to try since we were indecisive. We ordered the pot of their sang takju and a glass of the nomi doga. The sang is sweeter, less carbonated, and smooth. The nomi doga has a bit more carbonation, dryer, and strong notes of star anise. For food, we ordered the olives, seoul crudo, popcorn kfc, perilla oil noodle, and the pork jowl jeyuk. This was more than enough for two people, we were quite full. We could have done without the crudo, it was our least favorite. The sauce was too sweet and did not complement the fish as we had wanted. I loved the pork jowl, that was the one I was most excited about. The perilla noodles were flavorful, definitely on the sweeter side, and these are cold so good on a hot day. The chicken was good but did not blow me away. Olives were delicious, we loved them. Overall, food menu contained quality ingredients. We enjoyed most of the items, yet palette was on the sweeter and cold side. Overpriced in my opinion. It was like $90pp. read more

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I was initially skeptical about Korean tapas in SF. Especially having been spoiled by the OG Korean food in LA, but boy, was I wrong! The ambiance is sleek and fun for a date or a night out with friends. Highly recommend making a reservation (I waitlisted last minute and managed to get a decent dinner time a couple days before-woohoo!) Perilla Oil Noodle: I have a high affinity for this aromatic and refreshing leaf , but this dish had an overly sweet flavor profile which overpowered the former. Chimmelier Popcorn KFC: Heck yes. The chicken was perfectly fried with an equally delicious sauce to accompany the salty profile of the chicken. Pork Jowl Jeyuk: The jowl was so tender and literally chef's kiss. Wrap it up with some perilla leaves and dip in the salsa verde and voila. You have yourself an amazing bite of savory pork + a refreshing wrap! Rigatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka: The dish I was most excited for and wow, did this deliver and more! You can skip the burratta since the pasta as is was excellent on its on. Definitely coming back! read more

Jilli - Rigatoni alla kimchi vodka pasta and Chimmelier Popcorn KFC - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Was super excited to try Jilli given all the social media hype but I think their food is quite overpriced and not that special. For five dishes and a bottle of makgeolli, we each paid around $60/pp. The good: -Perilla noodles: super light and refreshing -Pork jowl: nicely cooked and pairs well with the sauces The mid: -Vodka pasta: really nothing special - you can make this easily at home -Tuna dip: basically just canned tuna and mayo - but there were big chucks of mayo or sour cream that wasn't mixed evenly into the tuna -Burrata: they forgot to add the yuzu sauce to our burrata initially and brought out a second plate.. We also ordered one bottle of makgeolli (the sang takju - which we were told was the sweetest one on the menu). I would recommend if you like a sweeter drink. read more

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Got a reservation for a Tuesday at 5 PM and when we arrived, my fiancee and I were promptly greeted and seated. Wait staff were all friendly and we were able to get our orders in fairly quickly. Rigatoni with burrata (4/5)- the pasta was the perfect al dente and I loved how the creaminess of the burrata balanced the spiciness of the sauce. Didn't care too much for the bacon. Burrata fruit salad (5/5)- I love how well balanced this dish was from the saltiness of the prosciutto to the creaminess of the burrata and the sweetness of what I believe was a honey dressing. The different texture made each bite very enjoyable. Definitely my favorite dish of the night. KFC chicken (2/5)- Don't get me wrong, the chicken was perfectly cooked and was juicy but the flavors were lacking for me. For the price tag I would've been happier with popcorn chicken from a boba shop because that was essentially what we got. Pork jowl (5/5)- juicy, moist and had the best outer crust. This was great. At the end of the dinner, we were bursting at the seams. I personally felt that 2 dishes per a person was more than enough. Overall, chill vibe, great service and pretty good food. read more

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Hard to snags a resy but so worth it. Trendy Korean tapas spot with creative small plates and a lively bar vibe. Each dish is bold in flavor and beautifully presented -- perfect for sharing over soju, exclusive makgeolli (Sang) or Korean craft beers. The staff ( Hwang Ha and Anthony) are friendly and attentive, making it a great place for a casual night out with friends and families. read more

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SO good!!! We ordered a ton of things. Favorites include: shrimp toast, perilla oil noodles, pork jowl jeyuk, tuna dip and trout roe, chimiller popcorn chicken (ok I guess I'm listing basically everything I ordered lol) You really can't go wrong. Plus the Makgeolli selection here is A++. It's not the chemical and sugar packed bottles you buy from the supermarket, these are actually from small batch breweries like Hana from Brooklyn. It's high quality stuff. You can come here for the food and enjoy a drink on the side -- OR you can come here and focus on the drinks and get a dish or two as Anju-- both would work! Definitely coming back. If you can come with a group of 4 to 5 ish that's perfect so you can order a bunch of food and try everything. One thing to note is that they only take walk ins starting from 5:30pm. read more

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The first makgeolli bar in SF! During this heat wave, Jilli's cozy patio space was the perfect haven. We tried: - makgeolli flight - this included a wide variety of flavor profiles ranging from lightly floral (white lotus) to savory/acidic (red monkey). My favorite out of the four was one that I actually forgot the name of, but it has a cute purple flower garnish and had a pleasant melon note (hana, is that you?) - Seoul crudo - lovely combination of bright flavors - perilla oil noodle - the perilla taste, which I normally find quite prominent, was actually more subtle here! Fresh, slightly sweet, and served chilled - tuna dip + trout roe - just really satisfying (and you can ask for more crackers!) - rigatoni alla kimchi vodka - kimchi just works so well with cheese/cream, this was so indulgent - pork jowl jeyuk - tender and juicy. The outer grilled crust was a bit salty but luckily mellowed out by the salsa verde, ssamjang, and fresh perilla/lettuce leaves - Korean popcorn kfc - pretty good but not memorable - cheese tteokbokki - the bowl looked small but it actually had a decent amount of fish cakes and tteokbokki inside! Honestly no crazy spin but just so good - injeolmi banana panna cotta - I would skip this, a bit underwhelming. Not to sweet though! Overall, Jilli has yummy food that pairs well with the makgeolli (and the servers were friendly and informative about the menu). Portions were on the smaller end (making sense as they're tapas, but considering price, felt a bit disproportionate) so I'd probably return for snacks + drinks but not as a dinner spot! read more

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Jilli is a fun, casual Korean restaurant with excellent service and entertaining wait staff. I managed to snag a spot for 2 and came by for an early dinner. We were told to order 2-3 plates/person since they're meant to be shared. The portion sizes are small, but I like it that way. It is priced on the higher end though, but that's city life. We ordered the makgeolli flight ($40), olives ($5), rigatoni sans bacon ($23), pork jowl ($35), tteokbokki ($19), and perilla noodles ($18). The makgeolli flight was fun and they were honest that some people might not like all the drinks. We were actually given another pour of something different at the end when I mentioned I wasn't fond of one of the drinks. Olives were actually very enjoyable and a nice bar snack. The rigatoni and tteokbokki weren't anything special, and it's not as spicy as I was led to believe. They were good, but not worth the price considering the size of the dishes. I liked the perilla noodles - felt more Japanese to me, but still glad it was on the menu considering it's a Summer special item. I did not eat the pork jowl but was told it was enjoyable. Again, just a small portion for the price point. It came with shiso/perilla leaves but I think if it came accompanied by some banchan, it would probably elevate the dish a bit more. read more

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Visited Jilli twice now and my thoughts remain the same - not bad, probably wouldn't have a craving to come again, but if I were to, I would likely go for drinks (if you like makgeolli) and small bites rather than a full dinner. Absolutely love the outdoor patio though; they have space heaters and is overall a perfect spot to catch up with your girlfriends on those nice SF nights. For drinks, I'd definitely recommend getting the Makgeolli Flight so you aren't committing to one full bottle, especially since some of them can be a hit or miss. From my past two visits, out of the flight of 4, I really only liked 1 or 2. They do rotate out the flavors included in the flight, so if you choose to re-visit, you likely won't get a full repeat. Some of my girlfriends chose to opt for wine instead, which honestly might have been a better option. No cocktails offered, unfortunately :( As for food, the main standouts were the Tuna Dip + Trout Roe (would order again), the RIgatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka, and the Dubai Chewy Cookie (off-menu, but definitely ask if they're still offering it as a dessert option!). The Shrimp Toast I remember getting the first time I visited and it was actually one of the star dishes of the night, but this time around, it was extremely greasy and tasted strongly of oil... wasn't a big fan. We also got the Pork Jowl Jeyuk and I'd only recommend this if you have a larger party (4+). In my opinion, the pork is pretty fatty and heavy to the point you'd really only want to eat 1-2 pieces each. Any more would be too much, and this is even with the lettuce wraps to cut some of that fat! The Dubai Chewy Cookie though, delicious! Definitely order it if they still offer it on their dessert menu; it's a great little sweet treat to share! read more

This new place has been hyped up ever since it opened! It's a cute space off upper mission area and reservations are pretty hard to get right now. I made one a month in advance :') Overall it's a little pricey for the portion sizes and taste. We ordered the KFC popcorn chicken, burrata, rigatoni, perilla noodles, pork jowl. Top dishes id recommend: pork jowl, perilla noodles, and burrata. Pork jowl was very tender and it came with perilla leaves and lettuce wraps. Perilla leaves was lightly oiled and so refreshing on a hot day! Same with burrata. The rigatoni and popcorn chicken were standard nothing standout / I'd rather get at an Italian place (pasta) or a boba Taiwanese shop (popcorn chicken). The makgeolli was fun to try! Ranged from 16-20$ so our total per person was $80 if u had two drinks. We were still hungry after so had a big shaved ice nearby at udessert read more

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Was super excited to try, so made a reservation a month in advance for my birthday! Overall the food was solid but pricy for what we ordered. We got the pork jowl, which was my favorite, along with the shrimp toast (really good), popcorn chicken (okay), and the rigatoni pasta. The portion sizes were small, and they recommend 2-3 dishes per person, but we were pretty full after ordering 4 dishes for 3 people. The makgeolli flight was a fun way to try different drinks but was $40 for 4. Based on food alone, I'd rate it a 4/5 but what made it a 3/5 was the service. It felt like they were rushing us towards the end, clearing plates and drinks that were not yet finished. We had barely sat down for an hour and they handed us the check read more

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Came here for a much-anticipated girls' night out and was unfortunately let down by the rude service at the start of our night! It was a Friday evening and we were looking forward to trying a new food spot in SF. Not only was our server using every chance he could get to flirt with our friend all night, he was also coming to the table when it was unnecessary and extremely rude and mean-spirited while doing so. Calling a customer names, saying insults to "neg" them, and hovering around our table hoping for a chance to flirt was super unprofessional. I had my last straw when he yelled while I paid the bill as "a joke." I don't know man, maybe do it while you're off the clock? We tried not to let it sour the rest of our night as my friend was overall uncomfortable and played nice after he sent us a free drink. He was being confusing, overly loud, and made the rest of us uneasy during dinner. Perhaps it was supposed to be "funny?" But it was just overall obnoxious and did not land that way, as hard as it tried to be. Anyway, as a note, here's some of the details of the food: Besides the crappy service, the pork jowl was juicy! It's a good protein choice. The cheese tteokbokki was savory--wish it never ended! The rigatoni inspired us to try to recreate it at home because it was just THAT good. It overall was Korean fusion at its best. The makgeolli selection was on point. All in all, the experience would've been totally different without the weird, rude service. What a breath of fresh air it was to leave. Wishing you the best Jilli! Just hope the tasty food overpowers the bad taste in our mouths next time. read more

Awesome spot for drinks and bites! Make sure to make reservations as this spot has been hot and trendy these days. I love that this spot specializes in makgeolli, which makes it super unique. We ordered the makgeolli flight which allowed us to sample their rotation of makgeolli (it changes every so often). The first item in the flight was the Sang, which was SOOO BOMB. Best makgeolli I've ever tasted. Sweet smooth and subtle, but not too sweet! Sadly the rest were wayyy too bitter or sour and not to our taste. This was when their phenomenal hospitality came in. We mentioned to our waiter our experience with the flight and they promptly and kindly exchanged it out for a big pot of the one that we liked. We were so thankful for that! The Sang was definitely our favorite. Now for the food--it was great! My favorite was the tuna dip and the rigatoni. Very flavorful and perfect with drinking. I'd totally wanna revisit this spot again! read more

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Super cute spot with a very unassuming door. Interior is very aesthetic but I will say that the music is kind of loud, it's a little difficult to have conversations. Service was great & very sweet. The dishes also came out quickly once ordered! I was surprised by how expensive some of the makgeolli was... I was expecting more like normal cocktail / alcoholic drink, but the makgeolli flight was $40. We got a bottle of the hana makgeolli which was good and a bit reminiscent of kombucha. All of the food was solid. I especially enjoyed the yukhoe, which had a much more savory & rich flavor than traditional yukhoe, and the kimchi vodka rigatoni. The pork jowl jeyuk was also great, I'm glad we tried it. It was quite juicy and tender! The shrimp toast was also well done but I felt it wasn't anything special. Overall, I really enjoyed Jilli but would say not to feel FOMO if you can't get a reservation. read more

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Make a reservation if you can! Weekday may have availability outside. Does have heater on patio, so will not be too cold. Great selection of tapas and drinks. Known for their makgeolli (Korean rice wine drinks), there's so many flavors. The flight is a $40, about 8oz of four daily picks. My favorite was this sour berry one. Order shrimp toast ($18), waygu beef tartare ($24), and ttteoboki ($19). My first time having tartare, the texture is similar to poke, super tasty with aioli. The tteoboki was quite spicy , I like spicy, but it just lingering in your mouth, needed water. Get the shrimp toast, it was crunchy and the chili vinaigrette compliments the shrimp toast. read more

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Great tapas spot with interesting dishes and drinks. They fill up quickly so I'd definitely suggest a reservation! All the food was good but the stand out by far was the crudo. They make a limited number so go early because that sauce was phenomenal! Service was quick and attentive, they cleared dishes quickly and checked in on us often. Overall, great experience! read more

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I made reservations a month in advance. Otherwise the restaurant itself is fairly small. If you show up at 5 pm, you might get seated on the counter. One of sfs highly anticipated Korean pub originated from LA. The drinks were quite pricey for what it is. A flight was $40 and a glass of Korean makgeoli was around $19-20 a glass. The food portions were small. We ordered a few things all of which was okay, nothing that stood out. Many of the dishes you can probably whip up together at home. Give the place a try and lmk what you think! read more

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I really loooved my experience here! Came here with friends on a Friday night and there were so many parties waiting outside for a table so I highly recommend making a reservation. The interior is super cute and vibes are chill. The day we went was the first time they opened up the back patio (which had heaters), so the waiters were still working out some operational kinks. Service was still super great though. For drinks, we got to share: - Makgeolli Flight - a bottle of White Lotus (a type of Makgeolli) - Jinmaek Soju - Yangchon Chungju White Lotus was on the sweeter side (our waiter recommended), and they didn't include it in the Makgeolli Flight so if you like sweeter alc I'd recommend this one. Jinmaek Soju isn't something you can find readily in the bay area, and we were told they imported it directly from Korea. It definitely tastes a lot more layered and complex than the popular soju you usually find at kbbq/ korean restaurants in the bay. Yangchon Chungju was also imported from Korea (also something you can't find easily in the bay!) For food, we shared: - pork jowl jeyuk - honey butter chip - shrimp toast - cheesey tteokbokki The pork jowl was SO good I highly recommend! The tteokbokki was very unique and on the peppery side (a bit spicy). Shrimp toast and honey butter chip were very yummy as well. All the food we got was really good :') but my personal favorite was the pork jowl. I will definitely be back soon! read more

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4.5 stars. The vibes of this place are amazing! Came here for a half-dinner and light drinks and was not disappointed. The decor, lighting, and ambiance of this place is unmatched. What we ordered: + Cheese Tteokbokki (5/5) + Popcorn KFC (4/5) + Cucumber Salad (4/5) + Makgeolli Flight (4/5) I thought the Cheese Tteokbokki was delicious and totally worth it. It comes with an ample amount of rice cakes and is so flavorful!! The other dishes were just okay for me-- I don't think the popcorn chicken was good enough to warrant the price of $25 and the cucumber salad was interesting but a bit small. The Makgeolli Flight was also good but definitely not worth $40. I did think service was totally amazing! They were professional, attentive, and kind. 6/5 stars for them. Even though the ambiance of the place is amazing, I thought the portion size and quality of the dishes we ordered were lower quality, hence the -1 star. I would definitely come back to order more of the dishes recommended by other people to see if those warrant the higher price. :) read more

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Best hood in the city? IMO, The Mission. Esp for food, dranks, nightlife, and diversity. From cheap eats to Michelin star fine dining, and everything in between they got it and more. And, now The Mission has gotten even better with the arrival of LA based Jilli, a modern sool jib (drinking spot). Jilli soft opened over the weekend, taking over the Khamsa space. Rezzies on Resy are highly recommended. The patio wasn't ready yet but they kindly accommodated us since we don't mind dining without heat lamps. M E N U An-ju, Korean tapas with a modern fusion twist. They source harder to find soju, rice wine, and makgeolli (fizzy Korean rice wine). Note: During the day, the space operates as a pop-up location of Chimmelier, a LA based business known for their KFC sandwiches. D R I N K S * Yangchon ChungJu ($34): https://tinyurl.com/mryafurj My first choice (soju) was sold out so the owner kindly brought over two bottles for us to sample. This amber color brewed rice wine is similar to sake. It had a nice earthy savory flavor with a touch of sweetness. F O O D * Shrimp Toast: Deep fried minced shrimp on a toast w/ chili vinaigrette ($16): https://tinyurl.com/5f6rstwe A Korean-Chinese dish made famous by celebrity chef Lee Yeon Bok (Seoul), the menbosha is deliciously crispy and savory with a tangy dipping sauce. Great flavor and texture. * Wagyu Yukhoe w/ gim mayo, fried scallion, parm, potato chips ($25): https://tinyurl.com/d5a3hdx9 Creative twist on the traditional Korean steak tartare, instead of a savory sweet seasoning, they use roasted seaweed mayo which adds a savory and earthy flavor. Served with crunchy housemade chips as a vessel. * Rigatoni alla Kimchi Vodka w/ washed kimchi, bacon, cheese ($22): https://tinyurl.com/j8fs2byw - Add burrata (+$4) Perfectly al-dente, the kimchi vodka rigatoni was so deliciously satisfying. Flavorful and umami-rich with a mildly spicy tang. Def add the burrata for a creamy softness. * Hangjeongsal: Pork Jowl w/ salsa verde ($30): https://tinyurl.com/5n8w6ktz On the night we visited, they had hangjeongsal (pork jowl) instead of samgyupsal (pork belly). Sous-vide then charcoal grilled, the pork jowl was rich and fatty with a smoky charred flavor. Served with a creamy herbaceous salsa verde. Wished they included lettuce to make wraps. S E R V I C E Positive vibes all around, the owner Hwangha (sp?) and our server, Meagan were so sweet and attentive. Prompt food service. A M B I A N C E Modern, cozy spot with nice patio area sigh greenery. 80s and 90s jams playing. P A R K I N G Challenging street parking. Nearest lot is at 14th and Mission (5 min walk). Overall, Jilli is an awesome addition to the city offering things you can't even find in Santa Clara, the hub for K food. If you're looking for fun place for K dranks and delicious tapas....Jilli! read more

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Amazing food and prompt service. Flavors were vivid and top notch. We had a great time sitting at the little outdoor courtyard space. We thoroughly enjoyed the tea flight and also the beef tartar. The shrimp toast was also delightful. Reserve early and come with an empty stomach! read more

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Loved loved the maekgolli and food here at Jilli! I came a little skeptical as many of the hyped new Asian, tapa-style restaurants in SF haven't lived up expectations but Jilli turned out to be so fun with yummy, elevated bar food! I came with one other friend without a reservation early on a Friday and ended up getting a table about an hour later. I'd definitely recommend a reservation if you have a larger party as we saw many people getting turned away walk-in a later in the evening. We ordered the maekgolli flight which included 4 types of maekgolli, 2 that were a bit more spirit-forward and 2 that were more mixed drinks with one being a matcha banana blend which we loved! For food, we got the ~ - Kimchi Vodka Rigatoni: So so good with a nice spicy kick! This was my favorite dish of the night and I would come back just for this. Love that there's kimchi and bacon in the sauce which adds so much flavor and the pasta is just perfect. - Shrimp Toast: Really yummy shrimp toast with a nice spicy dipping sauce. The minced shrimp filling is super flavorful with nicely toasted milk bread. - Tuna Dip + Trout Roe: Great drinking food, creamy tuna dip with saltine and ritz crackers. The tuna dip is smooth and nicely seasoned. I do like tuna salad with more texture but this was nice as an app. - Jja Jang Poutine: Crispy fries with a black bean sauce gravy and mozzarella cheese. After getting the other carb heavy dishes as well, this one felt like a bit much but the fries were really good. Thinly cut and super crispy and the sauce was nice to dip into. I actually loved the fries with the spicy vodka sauce from the rigatoni. Everything was delicious and I'd recommend coming with more people so you can share a bunch of dishes, especially since the food can be on the heavier/carb-y side. Service was super friendly and very attentive! They're still in their soft opening but we felt so welcomed and everything was on point! read more

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This place is definitely pretty pricey for what you're given, but the vibes are good and the food is tasty. They're really busy and we weren't able to get a table the first time we came so we made a reservation. We ordered the Pork jowl jeyuk, Tuna dip + trout roe, Perilla oil noodle, Chimmelier popcorn kfc and Rigatoni alla Kimchi Vodka. I especially liked the pasta- the kimchi gave it a fun flavor. The popcorn chicken was a little dry, but the sauce helped a little. The service really stood out and the inside of the restaurant is well-decorated and cozy. read more

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I'm a certified Jilli fan! I visited during their soft opening this weekend and loved everything from the food to the service and decor. My friend and I ordered the honey butter chips, pork jowl jeyuk, rigatoni alla kimchi vodka, and the yuja makgeolli and it was the perfect amount of food for the two of us. They had so many different types of makgeolli which was cool to see, and the yuja one we ordered was delicious and complimented the food very well. We were treated to a sample of a matcha makgeolli as well, which was yummy and I look forward to trying it if it makes it on the menu eventually. Our servers Megan and Jillian gave us great recommendations and were super friendly. The owner Hwanghah stopped by all the tables to say hi, which was a nice personal touch. I can tell so much effort and love went into creating Jilli, so congrats to the entire team! I thoroughly enjoyed all the dishes we ordered, although if I had to pick one, the rigatoni was a standout. I will definitely be back! 감사합니다 꼭 다시 올게요~ read more

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Wasn't able to secure a reservation so, walked in and arrived at 6:15pm on a Friday planning to meet friends here at 6:30pm for dinner. They were able to secure a table for my group at 7pm. So we headed to flying pig down the street for a drink while we waited for our table. Drinks: Menu has a selection of makgeolli as well as beer, wine, soju and n/a options. Offering seem to change pretty quickly so they refered us to the QR code menu Food: Spicy Cucumber Salad - pretty standard, large pieces of cucumber served with a mild gochujang dressing, a light and refreshing start to the meal Honey Butter Chips - served warm in a cone, thick cut potatoe chips glazed with honey butter, these were sticky, crunchy, sweet and buttery a great snack DIY Salmon Kimbap - solid, steamed short grain rice topped with soy marinated raw salmon and nori sheets so you can make your own hand roll, fun and interactive, wish the nori was a bit crispier and the salmon had a little more seasoning but otherwise a solid dish Popcorn KFC - a nice sized portion, pieces were bite size crunchy with bits of lacey batter to add more texture, no greasiness which was a plus but ate a touch dry, the dipping sauce and the soy marinated daikon pickle added a nice contrast, dusted with a light red pepper seasoning and garnished with fried perilla leaves which added great pops of flavor Cheesey Tteokbokki - spicy but great flavor, rice cakes had a nice chew, mozzarella added a nice stretchy texture and a bit of creaminess, lots of sauce and a few pieces of fish cake as well, if you like spice this one is for you Service was great staff was friendly and attentive, water was refilled throughout our meal. Dishes felt well paced. Fun lively vibe. Overall enjoyed Jilli, a fun new spot for Korean tapas, menu has a solid variety would plan for 2 dishes per person worth a try if you can get there early to secure a spot or try to book a reservation if you want to visit. read more

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Really loved everything about this place and it lives up to the hype! The interiors aren't overdone (basically the same from Khamsa that was there before it) but the patio is truly lovely. Food was solid - every single thing we ate was delicious and perfectly executed. Service was friendly - but giving it 4 stars cause we had a reservation at 7 pm for 6 people and at 8:15 they told us we had to leave in 10 mins for the next group that would be seated at 8:30 - and we were still eating! Also - they never mentioned tables are only given for 90 minutes at any point. That was jarring but it was still a good meal overall and I'll def be back! read more

Another amazing meal. Everything was so delicious!! Perilla oil noodle and crudo were soooo good. Korean popcorn KFC was not as addicting - I cannot emphasize how good the crudo and perilla oil noodles were!! read more

cute little dimly lit and elevated bar that specializes in makgeolli and Korean tapas they recommend 3-4 tapas per person for dinner, but we had a large lunch and went mainly to try some makgeolli and pair with a few small bites got the: - makgeolli flight of the day - they give a variety of 4, 1 super sweet dessert style, 2 semi-sweet, and 1 much more bitter and higher ABV but clean - shrimp toast - super crunchy and crispy toast, perfectly salted and savory shrimp paste, slightly oily - perilla oil noodle - very refreshing noodles, I liked the saltiness that the seaweed added to them - rigatoni alla kimchi vodka - I really savored every bite of this, huge fan of vodka sauce pasta, the sauce is rich and creamy, with slight sourness from the kimchi only thing is that I wish the portions were bigger since they are on the pricier side, but will be back to try more things :) read more

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4.5/5 but will round up to 5 because service was great. Cute little spot near north mission - not great for groups (would rec 4 and under ppl). Cute interior with vibey lighting. Food menu is solid - we tried: Shrimp toast 5/5 - would highly recommend this Korean fried chicken 3/5- a little dry and nothing special. This reminded me more of popcorn chicken more than Korean fried chicken. Ttekboki with cheese - 4.5/5 great flavor and I like that they had the fish cake slices in it, but SPICY Pork jowl 5/5- cooked so good and the sauces that come with it pair very nicely We got 2 flights because there was a pop up special with Swrl which is a new canned makgeolli company that is carbonated and lower calories. I actually really liked the yuzu and earl grey one. They are much lighter and less creamy than traditional makgeolli but I would get a few cans of these. They also are much lower in abv. Only thing is on the menu the flight was 18$ but later I realized our bill said 20$. Bill and menus should align properly imo (especially since menu is online as QR code and not printed). Their own flight was very good - 2 white rice one brown rice and one black rice makgeolli. Each one had different notes and it was fun tasting them all! Would definitely recommend the flight. Overall I would definitely come back ! Their flights change so I want to come back to try another flight with different makgeolli options ! read more

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I love makgeolli, and since it's not super common in the city, I was really excited to finally try this spot. It's a small place, so def make a reservation. I got turned away once without one. -Shrimp toast was crispy, flavorful, and came with an addictive chili vinaigrette (used it on everything). -Pork jowl jeyuk was tender and perfectly charred. Must order. -Kimchi vodka rigatoni was delish but a bit salty so would try again with burrata. -Popcorn KFC was fried well, but just okay for me. I usually prefer bone-in chicken and bigger pieces of the pickled radish. Drinks were great! Loved the floral Seoul Night Soju and the Nasung Makgeolli which was lightly sweet, bubbly, super refreshing. Service was amazing. The owner + staff were so kind and gave great recs. Will definitely come back once the menu expands to try more! read more

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I was SO excited for Jilli to open up in SF! I used to love the Koreatown LA location and was missing the Korean tapas experience. I managed to snag a reservation for a weekday evening to check them out with a friend! We ordered Rigatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka and Chimmelier Popcorn KFC. I loved the pasta! It was cooked perfectly al dente, and the creamy sauce had such a variety of flavors. The popcorn chicken was good, but I do wish that they had full chicken wings like they do in LA rather than only popcorn chicken. I also ordered a glass of makgeolli--I can't remember which one I ordered, but it was DELICIOUS. I wish I could try the flight to sample more types. The ambiance and service were both amazing! The vibe is fantastic for either a date night or girl's night--I love the mood they have created, and the TV shows are a fun addition. I also loved our servers; they were super attentive and sweet. Definitely check this place out! read more

Jilli - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

Was so excited to try this place after watching all these food influencers rave about it but left feeling disappointed. They have an outdoor area in the back, not sure if it's for people waiting or if they're only grabbing drinks, but the door was left open the entire time so I felt the cold breeze throughout our entire meal. We had an 8 reservation and they were already sold out of a few of their items and some items on the menu are only available on friday/sat. We ordered the shrimp toast, perilla noodles, kimchi rigatoni with the added burrata, and the pork jowl. Neither of us cared for the shrimp toast-- it was super oily and that was all I could taste. The perilla noodles were refreshing and light and my friend enjoyed the kimchi pasta. The pork jowl was tender but was hard to eat with the small, stiff pieces of romaine. When they say tapas, they really mean tapas size. The portions were a lot smaller than what the IG foodies were advertising. The server recommended ordering two dishes per person so that's what we did but ended up leaving still hungry. Also, be prepared to spend 10-15 minutes trying to find parking read more

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Busy busy Thursday night. They have some seats inside, a little bar area, and some outdoor patio seating. We came without a reservation but luckily the staff gave us a table for an hour before the people with the reservation arrived. However, the staff did forget to give us the tiramisu, and we received it after we paid & had to ask for it afterwards. The food here is pretty good, but not extraordinary. We didn't try any of their drinks tonight, but we might in the future. If you're looking to give this place a try the rigatoni (little to no protein) and pork jowl are pretty good. The tiramisu was also pretty good. read more

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It's more of a 3.5 but the cozy intimate ambiance round it up to a 4! Not a ton of enticing vegetarian options but the kimchi vodka pasta is a must get and what I would go back for. The Makgeolli flight is fun and not too strong, I definitely prefer the sweeter ones though. Wish they sold more by glass. Popcorn chicken was okay, could've been salted a bit more. Shrimp toast was solid but mostly just good to try once, maybe better if the sauce was a bit more flavorful. Cool spot, great for date night! read more

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made a reservation for this spot - loved the ambiance its so cute and cozy. the perilla oil noodles, pork jowl & seoul crudo were our favorite dishes. would definitely come back! the staff were also super friendly and gave us recommendations for dishes. read more

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Cute place. Love having Korean tapas to share. Fave dishes were the korean fried chicken, and the honey butter chips! Korean fried chicken - one of the better fried chicken in San Francisco for sure! Well flavored, just the perfect amount of crispiness, and lots of meat! Honey butter chips - $8 but I thought it was delicious. It reminded me of truffle chips. A bit oily, but for homemade it was the perfect level of crunch and crispness. Flavoring was great. Rigatoni alla kimchi - Pretty delicious as well because it didn't have much kimchi flavor (I'm not a fan of kimchi). Just gave rigatoni with an Asian twist. Pork jowl - I loved the smokiness but half the pork was fat, so that was a turn off. Shrimp toast - Not my favorite dish. The texture was not for me, The place was cozy and cute, and dishes came out fast! Good service. You can pay via your phone at the end (QR Code on receipt). read more

I'm by no means a makgeolli connoisseur, but I was super intrigued when I heard that Jilli was opening and managed to snag a weekday reservation for my party of 3. One person was running late, so our server suggested we order first because the pork jowl needed more preparation time and could sell out - appreciate him looking out for us! - Shrimp toast: This was nice and crispy on the outside, and the chili vinaigrette added a boost of flavor. One thing to note is the greens on top have cilantro mixed in (my fault for not looking carefully before taking a bite), but it's easy to remove. - Wagyu beef tartare (yukhoe): I love beef tartare, and even though it looked like a lot going on with all the parmesan shavings and toppings, the flavors all came together well. The chips were plain, which allowed the tartare flavors to be the focus. - Rigatoni alla kimchi vodka: I'm a sucker for fusion pasta, so I knew I had to get this. I didn't really taste kimchi in the vodka sauce, but it was flavorful and the pasta was cooked al dente, so overall still a good pasta dish! - Perilla oil noodle: This was such a light and refreshing noodle dish! So simple but would definitely order again. - Pork jowl jeyuk: The pork was sooo good and tender! I'm usually not a big fan of pork (especially in the US), but the marinade was flavorful enough that you could eat this without either of the sauces on the side, though it was also excellent with the lettuce wrap. I appreciate the attention to detail with picking "pretty" leaves and washing each individual leaf thoroughly. Would definitely order again. - Makgeolli flight: This is a good way to try different makgeolli, especially if you've never had it before! We shared one flight between the 3 of us and ended up ordering a bottle of our favorite makgeolli in the flight. Service was attentive and friendly without being overbearing. It's a small space but didn't feel too loud or cramped inside. There was also seating in a back patio, though not sure if it was heated. Definitely snag a reservation if you can, but it looked like they were accepting walk-ins at opening too. Overall, I think this is a fun addition to SF's growing repertoire of Korean restaurants with some clear standout dishes! read more

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The perilla oil noodles has nice texture and loads of flavor. Did not disappoint Fried chicken is thick breaded style, nice with the sauce Tteokbokki has marinara or something in addition to the gochujang. Really like the creamy consistency and clam flavor fun that they serve the makgeolli in one of those light gold aluminum kettles which is how i've seen it served in korea would love to try their cocktails next time read more

Jilli - Perilla oil noodles - Korean Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The Maekgolli flight was worth it. The chestnut flavor was our favorite. Nice owner, good service. Pork jowl was a little dry. Chicken was the best dish. Ambiance was chill, good music and they had some cartoon from Asia playing on a projector read more

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Phenomenal service! It rained on Valentine's Day and they made it up extremely quick. The food was delicious and I'll definitely be back. Love the makgeolli flight. read more