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Man oh man... I'm going to really miss this place. I know it's closed now but I wanted to leave a review as a customer that came multiple times. Their raw marinated shrimp was the best I've ever had. I've liked it more than the ones I've had while in Korea too. The service is amazing, the staff was always super friendly and helpful. Their bossam and galbi were my other two favorites. I'll really miss this place. The ambiance was always sophisticated with a touch of fun. The communal seating in the middle was reminiscent of places in Korea. I truly wish I was able to try the raw marinated crab you served but every time I came, it was not available.... So sad. Thank you for providing such incredible meals over these past few years. Since you guys are closing permanently, can I request the recipe or the raw marinated shrimp? I will be thinking of it forever.
Came here for dinner with a group and overall the raw shrimp was the highlight. It was super fresh and sweet with a nice Miren + Light Soy + fish sauce marinade, and the kimchi banchan had great depth and spice. Both stood out right away. The army stew was a really generous portion and easily feeds four people, so it's a good choice if you're sharing and want something filling. The oysters and boiled pork were solid and about what we expected, nothing surprising and skippable. Service was pretty infrequent and it could be hard to flag someone down for refills or extra orders, so I'd recommend ordering most of what you want upfront. The ambiance is casual and lively which makes it great for groups than an intimate dinner. I'd come back for the raw shrimp!
High end looking restaurant serving down to earth Korean tapas. The interior is dimly lit with a simple modern vibe. Service was decent but don't expect them to be super fast as there are a lot of other tables waiting to be served as well. We tried various seafoods including their crab, shrimp, and oysters. All were very fresh and of good quality. Highly recommend the shrimp as the flavor and texture is mind blowing and just so different from other food items. Warning: soy marinated food items are salty because they need to ensure there's enough salt to "cook" the seafood so don't order these dishes if you're not a sodium fan.
I've had ILCHA on my list for a while now. I saw videos saying they were going to close so I had to try it before it was too late. My friend made a reservation for Thursday night dinner. It got busy later in the night. Korean fried chicken (5/5): The fry was so good. The chicken was so juicy. You get a choice of gochujang or garlic soy sauce. We chose the garlic sauce and I didn't think it would come on the side. We did the half order which was a good portion for the two of us. Dubu kimchi (3/5): This was pretty basic. Stir fried kimchi with tofu and pork belly. Could've done without. Bulgogi jeongol (5/5): This was perfect. The tables come with a built in burner so it stayed hot throughout the meal. The broth was so healing. The bulgogi had good flavor and wasn't too sweet. It came with mushrooms, napa cabbage, onions, carrots, rice cakes and glass noodles. It was a great way to get our veggies in. I'm sad that they are closing. It was a really good meal. I enjoyed my time and would've come back.
Came here before I heard they'd be closing this restaurant soon bc it's been widely liked and was really happy I got to come before they close! Everything we had was delicious! The raw marinated shrimp comes with seaweed, rice, and a yolk. It had a nice sweetness to it that was a nice surprise. The bossam and oysters were also great, the pork was tender and the gochuchang based sauce for the oyster was my favorite. They even gave a free refill of lettuce and perilla, which was appreciated. The fried chicken comes piping hot and is crispy and juicy. The service was kind of slow to get seated and our order taken but it seemed like they were a tad short staffed. But the service was very nice. Only sad thing was that they didn't have the grilled tteok that day. Looking forward to hearing what's next for the folks that run this place!
ILCHA absolutely blew me away. My friends who live in SF brought us here, and I'm so grateful they did -- every single dish we tried was incredible and truly stood out! Not a single miss. I really loved the vibe of the space. The lighting is dim, but feels warm and cozy rather than dark. I came with a group of my friends, and the servers were so attentive and fun -- they teased and joked around with us + made the experience feel welcoming while also being a bit chaotic LOL. The soy-marinated shrimp was the highlight of the meal! It was so flavorful and easily one of my favorite bites of the night. Our friends told us that we have to pair it with the rice and order seaweed on the side to make little soy shrimp wraps -- such a game changer!!! We also ordered the corn cheese tater tots + the army stew and both were delicious! Everything came out warm, comforting, and satisfying. Each dish felt thoughtfully prepared so you can tell a lot of care goes into the food here. While the pricing is definitely on the higher-end side, it's 100% worth it for the quality, portions, and overall experience. I would've loved to come back over and over again, but I saw on Instagram that they'll be closing soon permanently -- which is such a bummer :( I'm disappointed I won't be able to return, but I'm glad I got the chance to experience ILCHA at least once! If you're thinking about going before they close, don't hesitate. This spot is truly something special, and I'm happy I got to try it.
Food - Everything was so good! - Great for sharing for us 4. - Good portions Service - Very fast and attentive. Ambiance - Dark inside, can be nice for a date night. - The bathroom is at the entrance, no sign: - Modern art with inside tables and dark walls.
So sad they are closing because we had a great first visit here. Got excited when I sat down and there was a hot pot! We ordered so much because we knew we wouldn't get another chance. The tteokboki with American cheese was so interesting . It also had condensed milk. My husband loved it and I was intrigued but not sure how I feel :$ Standouts the chicken! Fried beautiful and crisped up beautifully for leftovers as well. We felt like the price to performance on this was excellent . The half portion was huge! 5 pieces! I liked the hot pot too, but nothing standout about it. Sad they are closing, but what a great little place!
Was surprised to hear this place is closing, so I had to stop by one last time for their fried chicken. Ordered the half fried chicken, which came with both white and dark meat. It does take a bit to come out since it's fried fresh, but it's absolutely worth the wait. The chicken is brined, so it stays juicy and not dry at all. My other favorite was the cheese tteok. It's grilled rice cakes filled with mozzarella, topped with American cheese and condensed milk. It sounds like a strange combo, but it somehow works and was seriously addicting. Really sad I won't be able to have this again.
Cute little spot in the Marina. I made reservations even though I dined alone since I heard this place tends to fill up on Friday and Saturday nights. I was seated at the community table which is shared. Not a problem. Plenty of space. Ordered the kim mari for appetizers (fried seaweed spring rolls). Comes with a gochujang dipping sauce. I've had this before so I was excited to get it again. Really good/addicting. Light crispy batter on the outside. Can't go wrong ordering these. Had to go to work after so I only ordered one drink. It was a canned cocktail. Peach lychee soju sparkling cocktail. 8 percent! lol strong and delicious. Would order again even though it's canned. Took a photo so I could try to buy for the house stash lol For my entree, I ordered galbi which came with assorted ssam. I usually get rice but since I was working after, I just ate these as wraps for a lighter option. Well marinated and really good as "lettuce wraps". I asked for a side of hot sauce for added spice. I've wanted to try something different this time around. I've had their Korean fried chicken which is really good! Some of the best I've had! Didn't get it this time cause I like to have it fresh and it would've been way too much food for me, but if you go, definitely grab some of that! Service was great! Even though they're busy, they servers make sure to take care of you. I work part time down the street and heard they are closing soon which is so sad for us. We love them and the staff. Food is delicious. Try to get there to check out the food before they close come February!
Wish I tried this place earlier and not 1 month before they close :( Ilcha's been on my bookmarked list for ages and it did not disappoint. Ambiance is casual w dimly lit lighting and plenty of seating - there's a long table in the middle of the restaurant for parties of 2, plus several individual tables on each side for larger groups. Service was fantastic, very attentive and food came quickly. We ordered the following: - half size fried chicken: this was soo good. perfect layer of fried skin, and the chicken was flavorful and juicy. paired great with the gochujang - bulgogi jeongol: their stew portions are hefty and filling - ours had a large helping of meat, noodles, tofu slices, enoki mushroom, and greens. didn't even order a side of rice cause it was that much food. I've also heard the soy marinated crab is a must order, though it wasn't on the menu this time. definitely check it out before they close on 2/14!
So sad that my favorite restaurant is closing -- last day to dine is 2/14/26 Highly recommend coming in before then! Came here with my boyfriend and our experience was a 10/10. We wanted to order the soy raw marinated crab, but it wasn't on the menu, so we opted for the shrimp instead. The raw marinated shrimp was not fishy at all and so good. We also ordered the fried chicken, and it was perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Glad that I was able to dine one last time before its closing day.
I was super excited to finally try Ilcha as I love Korean food and heard good things about this place from friends. We made a reservation for Friday night and between 2 people, we shared: - Marinated raw shrimp: Soy marinated shrimp with a side of egg yolk rice with seaweed and sesame oil. This was definitely my favorite of the night! The shrimp is so tender and flavorful and perfect with the egg yolk seaweed rice. So much umami and marinated well so don't be afraid of the raw shrimp! - Corn Cheese Tator Tots: Crispy tots covered in corn cheese and sour cream with gochujang mayo. Really yummy but pretty heavy - Budae Jjigae: Korean army stew with ramen, kimchi, sausage, spam. It's a simple staple soup but they do it really well and it's rich and savory without feeling like too much which is perfect We also got a bottle of Ji Pyeong Makgeolli to share which was nice and refreshing without feelings too alcoholic. I definitely enjoyed all the food and the ambiance is really nice as well for an elevated Korean food experience.
4 years ago
Ready to step it up from your broque boi or broque girl green bottle of $3.99 chamisul?! *Raises hand* Welcome to ILCHA! Opening last week in the former Nabe space is ILCHA (same owner), a Korean restaurant serving elevated Anju (Korean bar food) and drinks. They're open for dine-in only to not compromise the food quality. Staff wears masks. M E N U Elevated Anju (Korean Bar Food) with very hard to find items in the Bay Area like Ganjang Saewoo (soy marinated raw shrimp) and Hotteok (Korean sweet pancakes). Wanna get fancy? You can add A5 miyazaki wagyu to your budae jjigae (army stew). Great selection of Korean drinks: soju, premium soju, chungju (Korean rice wine), makgeolli (milky sparkling rice wine), soju cocktails, and beer. I have nothing against your typical green bottle of chamisul (soju) and have some in my fridge but it's nice to finally see a good selection of premium soju on the menu. D R I N K * Sagye Winter Soju, 23% ABV (375 ml - $65): https://bit.ly/3OfgvFD Distilled from grains and incorporated with mung beans, this soju was dry, smooth, and easy to drink. Not sweet which is my preference. F O O D * Cheese Tteok Kkochi: Mozzarella filled rice cake skewer, American cheese, condensed milk ($12): https://bit.ly/3KOUUln Deliciously chewy tteok with melty mozzarella cheese inside and torched cheesy saltiness on top that's balanced with the sweet condensed milk. Great starter if you like salty sweet combos. * Ganjang Saewoo + Gyeran Bap: Soy cured shrimp served with egg yolk rice, crushed seaweed, sesame oil, wasabi ($25): https://bit.ly/3Or75Hx And, this is what I came for.... ILCHA is the only place in the Bay Area that I know of that serves Ganjang Saewoo and it didn't disappoint! The soy cured shrimp was fresh with a firm, jelly-like texture with a umami, salty sweet brininess. Mix the steamed rice with the runny yolk, put a peeled shrimp on top of the rice, spoon some of the soy marinade on top...and enjoy. BOMB. Don't forget to suck head...and get all the sweet shrimp tomalley goodness. * KFC w/ garlic soy on the side, cabbage salad, pickled radish (Half - $18): https://bit.ly/3JKj5QH ***Mix of dark and white meat Current KFC fav in SF. The batter is crunchy, light, airy, and flaky...almost tempura-like and the meat is hella juicy...even the breast meat. The garlic soy (salty and garlicky with a touch of sweetness) is served on the side so the KFC maintains maximum crunchiness. GET THIS! Served with a side of cold pickled radish, pickled jalapeño, and slaw with a creamy dressing. * LA Galbi: Soy marinated flanken cut beef short ribs, assorted ssäm ($38): https://bit.ly/3M8L4uO The LA cut galbi is nicely marbled - rich, meaty, and beefy. To be nitpicky, I like my galbi with more char but it was still good. To make lettuce wraps, the assorted ssäm includes crisp romaine lettuce, perilla leaves, soy marinated ramp leaves (flown in from Korea), sliced raw garlic + jalapeño, and ssämjang (fermented soy bean paste): https://bit.ly/3KOT3Nl. * Hotteok: Sweet pancakes filled with brown sugar and nuts, ice cream ($8): https://bit.ly/37qNnL0 Since JSJ Kitchen closed in Cupertino, I haven't had a good hotteok (haven't tried Sammy's in Oakland yet) so I had to order this. The hot and crunchy pancakes filled with brown sugar and nuts were a great contrast to the cold, creamy vanilla ice cream. Not overly sweet. * Injeolmi Sundae: Ice cream, injeolmi rice cake, dried persimmon, walnuts, rice syrup ($10): https://bit.ly/3vnT2cO While I enjoyed the hotteok, this was my fav of the two desserts. The combo of the creamy vanilla ice cream, QQ mochi dusted with roasted soybean powder (injeolmi rice cake), crunchy dried persimmons + walnuts was so satisfying. There was also a surprise filling in the middle...red beans. If you're into AZN desserts, this will be your jam. S E R V I C E Excellent service from the owner, Kumi. She's so welcoming, kind, and attentive. I couldn't decide which soju to get, and she was really well-versed and knowledgeable which helped in my decision. Ate an early dinner so prompt food service. A M B I A N C E Hip and casual with K pop music playing in the background. There's 8 tables plus one long communal table. Love the mural with the pretty lady dressed in traditional hanbok. Same tables from Nabe with built-in induction cookers so your budae jjigae can stay hot and bubbly. P A R K I N G Challenging street parking. Overall, ILCHA is a great addition to the city serving elevated Korean bar food and drinks with fantastic service. Def worth the trek to The Marina if you enjoy anju and premium soju! read more
3 years ago
Had an 8pm reservation on a Wednesday and our table was ready at 7:45pm! We were seated a few minutes after walking in and had a 6 people table for the 4 of us. The dim lighting made for a fun bar like ambiance. To access the menu you scan the QR code on the table. We ordered bottle of makgeolli which was super refreshing. For the food we ordered: - Corn cheese tater tots: These were yummy, but I think not as much corn cheese as I would've liked. Also I'm not a big fan of sour cream so I think it could've done without, but that might be a hot take - Budae Jjigae: This came out first and went on the hot plate on the table. Very flavorful and loaded with things. Has tofu, mushrooms, chrysanthemum leaves, ramen, etc. Liked this but also felt that this wasn't the wow factor that would make me come back. - Bossam and oysters: I've never seen this combo, but I'm a fan, two of my favorite things. The bossam was well cooked, very tender, not rubbery. We had to ask for more lettuce and perilla though because we ran out. I do think that I've had better bossam elsewhere, but still good. The oysters though were fantastic. Super meaty and fresh. I really liked the soy based sauce that came with it as well. Huge fan and the oysters were so worth it. - Korean fried chicken: We got a full which was good because the chicken itself was small. The fry was super well done and it was very crispy and still juicy on the inside. There wasn't too much batter and was very balanced. We chose to get both of the sauces (gochujang and soy) and I preferred the sweet soy garlic one to cut through the heaviness of the chicken. Service was fast and the servers were very attentive and came to check on us many times. Would come back to try the soy marinated shrimp and the crab (if they have it!!! not on menu and they have very limited supply so you must ask your server!) read more
So excited to visit the new Korean food spot in the Marina. It was so nice to have delicious, upscale food in a really laid back and fun environment. The food was delicious. We stuck with the "lighter" dishes- with the exception of the fried chicken which you must order. We planned to hit the town after, so didn't want to get into the tater tots or ramen, but they were sure tempting. The shrimp dish was amazing, as was the galbi, pork belly & oysters and the rolls. The portions were pretty big, and we ordered a lot! The drinks were a lot of fun, too. Tried a couple premium drinks then ended up with the good, cheap stuff. All in all a very memorable and delicious experience! read more
4 years ago
What a wonderful new Korean restaurant in San Francisco!! Located at the old Nabe hot pot place, Ilcha took over and didn't have to waste the tables with stoves, as it is used for their army stew! Very smart and creative. We had their KFC, La Galbi, and Bossom. My favorite was the Bossom. I absolutely asked for more veggies as I love wrapping my food. The KFC was very crunchy and juicy. Very good. Highly recommend this place. We came close to 6pm on a Saturday with no reservations. Looked like a lot of people came with no reservations. We were first and got seated within 20 mins. read more
This place is definitely worth a try for their marinated raw shrimp, truly their most unique dish and the star of the night. So good that our table ordered another plate of this. I've never had marinated raw shrimp in this style before so I was initially nervous about the taste/texture, but it was absolutely delicious. Super sweet and flavorful, the texture was great and it paired well with the egg yolk rice. Other notable dishes were the Korean fried chicken (super crispy) and bulgogi tater tots (very crispy tater tots that held their shape even with the sauce on top!). We also tried the LA Galbi, bulgogi jeongol (soup with japchae), and bossam + oysters. LA Galbi tasted similar to other short rib dishes from Korean bbq places but for the price, was not really worth it. The bossam did not have much flavor but the oysters were so good. If I were to go here again, I wish it would be possible to order the oysters separately! Service overall was great. They regularly filled water and changed our bowls/plates when dirty. When we initially ordered, we did ask if the server thought we should order rice on the side. He gave us an odd answer saying to order if we like rice.. we were just asking for a suggestion and also to see if any of the dishes were better complimented with rice or needed rice. Luckily we didn't order additional rice anyways since the raw shrimp came with rice that was a decent portion for a group of 6! Ambience is very nice in here but dimly lit so if you're coming with family or to easily have conversation, might not be the best vibes. This place is better for date night or celebration with friends. It was so loud in here that we had to yell to speak with each other. If you're coming for a celebration, they do have a cake cutting fee of $3 per person just FYI! read more
We tried the raw shrimp and it was good, I wish it was a bit more spicy. Unfortunately on Saturday night they didn't have any raw crab, something we were looking forward to. But we opted for the army stew, it was good but a huge portion and I'm not sure it was worth what we paid for. However for the ambiance I can see why people come here. Food is pricey but vibes are nice. read more
Ilcha is a great addition to SF especially if you never tried soy cured shrimp before. It has the perfect mixture of sweet and salty and when you add wasabi it gives it another dimension of flavors. We also got their fried chicken, bulgogi tater tots, and hotteok and enjoyed most of their dishes. Their fried chicken is probably the crispiest and juiciest I've ever had and it was piping hot throughout our dinner. The only thing we didn't care for too much was the tater tots since it felt like meat was just thrown on top. We came here on a Saturday right when they opened and they already had a crowd so definitely make reservations if you plan on going later. Parking wasn't too difficult to find, but be prepared to walk a block or two. Ilcha is very out of the way for us, but we'll definitely be back to try their other dishes if we're ever in the area again! read more
I came here with a group of 8 without a reservation on Sunday at around 6 PM and there was no wait, the space was well decorated, and the food was delicious. The portion sizes were also large and perfect for sharing with a large group. We all felt comfortably full after this meal. They were sold out of some items but we ordered: - Kim Mari (4/5): Fried seaweed spring roll filled with glass noodle with gochujang sauce for dipping - Korean Fried Chicken (5/5): This is the best Korean Fried Chicken I've ever had! We thought about ordering a second round because it was so good - LA Galbi (5/5): The galbi was super flavorful! - Bulgogi Tater Tots (5/5): One of the guys in our group was lactose intolerant and they were accommodating and let us have cheese on the side so we could mix it in after - Bulgogi Jeongol (5/5): This soup was comforting and felt like a warm hug After we paid, I realized we didn't get dessert and the desserts looked so great! I really want to try their desserts if I'm ever able to return. read more
I checked out Ilcha with a few friends last night. We joined the waitlist (6:30pm) and it took about 45 mins to be seated. Street parking in the area can be a little difficult, but thankfully there are plenty of parking garages! At first glance, it's a modern and upscale little restaurant. We ordered the Red Monkey for drinks, Korean Fried Chicken, Cheese Tteok Kkochi, & Bulgogi Tater Tots. We definitely thought that most of the menu was more catered towards a "drink and snack" kind of vibe. It was perfect for our occasion because we all spent some time catching up :) I didn't expect to enjoy the Cheese Tteok Kkochi but I highly recommend it! It's a great balance of sweet & cheesy. The KFC came with a yummy sweet sauce and was also very crunchy and juicy. The tater tots were my least favorite- I wasn't pleased too much by the flavor. Overall, I would definitely return & try out their hot pot variations! This is a great place to stop by if you're looking for a dinner spot or somewhere to catch up with friends ;) Can't wait to be back! read more
4 years ago
My friend and I ordered the dubu kimchi, bulgogi tater tots, and bossam + oysters. I'd say the portions could be bigger but this was perfect for two people (along with soju/beer to pair with dinner). Everything tasted delicious - these are all such simple dishes but still flavorful. Nothing was too salty so that's always a plus for me. We also did a little trade with our neighbors so got to try the galbi - it was good! Highly recommend making a reservation so you can avoid a wait - definitely gets busy! I e-mailed hello@ilchasf.com to make the reservation and got pretty quick responses. We dined in on a Saturday night and it definitely was busy! We were originally seated at the end of the table but was asked later on to relocate so they can seat a bigger group. Worker was really friendly about it and of course we didn't mind. Workers checked in throughout dinner so that's always appreciated. Mostly street parking with some lots nearby. I'd want to come back to try the other dishes! read more
3rd time here and it gets better every time! But needless to say, Ilcha is now my favorite Korean restaurant in SF. The quality is unmatched and deserves all the hype. It was my first time trying the Bossam and oysters, and I loved it. My friend doesn't eat seafood, so I had all 6 oysters and it was fresh and so nice paired with the Bossam and some soju. I got the kfc, and my friend admitted that it was the best korean fried chicken he's ever had. Also got their rice cakes on a stick. It's a bit strange at first, but once you keep eating the sweetness and cheesiness becomes addictive. Will recommend this place to all my Korean food enthusiasts :) read more
3 years ago
The food was amazing, the service was spectacular, the ambiance hit all the marks. We ordered the Korean fried chicken, the soy marinated shrimp, and the bulgogi hot pot. All the food was delicious, but the soy marinated shrimp was by far the winner. I would honestly come back just to have that dish on my own. I am super curious about the soy marinated crab, so I'll have to come back for that. The Korean fried chicken was so crispy and the sides made it all the better. The sauce was sweet and spicy. I liked that they had it on the side because the chicken stayed crispy the whole time and we didn't have to rush to eat them all. Also made reheating left overs so easy and yummy. The hot pot was super savory. It was essentially a sukiyaki without the egg dipping sauce, but we enjoyed it. read more
3 years ago
SO GOOD!!! Would definitely recommend snagging a reservation for this place in advance bc it fills up pretty quickly. Ordered the fried chicken and bulgogi jeonggol for a group of 3 and it was so delicious. The fried chicken is amazing and would highly recommend getting it. The bulgogi jeonggol was also delicious and a huge portion. read more
3 years ago
The first time I went to Ilcha was back in May 2022 around 7pm. They ran out of both their Ingeolmi Sundae and their marinated raw shrimp. Instead of doubling down in disappointment, I ordered the bossam + oysters and a half order of their korean fried chicken. The oyster/bossom pairing was a new and delicious flavor combination, while the fried chicken was a known comfort to me - crispy and juicy. It was a good mix of clean, oily, and umami foods. I also ordered hotteok which was chewey and crunchy, almost like a mochi. However, I still felt like a part of me was missing, and vowed to come back again one day to try what I had missed out on. I finally came back August 2023, to finally fill that hole in my heart - and the hole in my stomach. I made a reservation for when Ilcha first opened at 5:30pm because I did not want to again miss out on these limited selections. I was finally able to try their marinated shrimp, and their marinated crab! When a group seated after us (around 7pm) tried to order the marinated shrimp, they were denied like how I had been the year ago-- how they had to learn the same lessons as a younger me was a canon event I dare not disturb. The soy marinade accentuated the crab and shrimps' natural taste and were delightfully umami. The crab came with a side of rice and a package of seaweed, while the shrimp came with a bowl of rice, crushed dried seaweed, and an egg yolk. I also ordered the half order of the korean fried chicken, which was identical in appearance and flavor as when I had ordered it before. This was a triumph. -- The middle section is a long extending table for small and large parties, while the tables that seat four are to the left and right of this long area. Personally not a fan of the middle section - parties next to you are basically a part of your conversation and the seats in this section are stools with no back support, while the other sections have regular chairs. They also only have one unisex bathroom in the front of the store. If you order the raw marinated crab, they provide plastic gloves per person and a pair of scissors. read more
Came here with friends for Friendsgiving and we all paid for a coursed set. The only thing I was iffy about this was that the set menu was still family style. The service was a bit slow but that's understandable during the holidays. Now to the most important part, Food! Bossam (5/5) - This is my first time having this dish and my friends stated it is rare to find a place that serves the pork belly with oysters (though it's the more traditional way) in the Bay Area. The pork belly looked disappointing but boy was I wrong. The fat cut the acidity of the sauce provided and surprisingly worked well with the oyster. My best friend and I kept stuffing each other faces feeding each other because it was soo good. KFC (Korean Fried chicken) (5/5)- If you could only hear the crunch from that succulent chicken. You know the chicken is good when you are eating it hot and it's burning your tongue yet you keep going. *chef's kiss* Galbi (5/5) - Juicy well marinated bites of goodness. Seafood pancakes (5/5) - I liked how jam packed the pancakes were of seafood and it wasn't just fillers. Everything was great but it was just too much food. Great for dates and big parties and price point is similar to most Korean spots in San Francisco so I do recommend this spot if you are looking for good Korean food. read more
4 years ago
Made a reservation by messaging them on Instagram. We came half an hour early, but Ilcha just opened at the time and tables were somewhat empty, so they sat us down. Don't miss out on the KFC. It was amazing. It was so juicy in the middle. The batter was light and crispy. The gochujang had the perfect amount of sweet and spicy. The radish was plentiful. The cabbage was a nice touch on the side. The chicken wasn't extremely greasy. so it didn't make you feel bad. The bossam and oysters was an interesting combo. While the oysters were only okay, the bossam was amazing. They gave a lot, and they gave us more lettuce and perilla leaves when we asked. The pork was tender and seasoned well. I loved the ssamjang that came with it, wasn't spicy at all. Bulgogi tater tots were okay. The tater tots had a good crispy outside, but the outside felt really thick. It was hefty, and there was a lot. It wasn't really special, but it wasn't bad. The bulgogi jeongol had a lot of meat. It was sweeter than I expected which I wasn't too big of a fan of. We ended up just getting a bottle of the yogurt soju. Everything paired well with it. All the dishes are good options to have drinks with. I wanted the Jeukseok Tteokbokki, but they didn't have it that day. I'll come back to try it along with the other dishes, dessert, and other alcohol. For sure, I will come back for the KFC and bossam. read more
3 years ago
The fried chicken was pretty good -- crispy and tender -- but wish the breading was a little thicker. The pickled radish banchan I really liked and even ate it with our stew The kimchi is good but for a nice Korean restaurant you'd expect them to serve it complementary as banchan. Also it had pork belly in it when I wanted cabbage. Minus a star for no banchan for such a nice restaurant and minus another for advertising a dish as kimchi and not pork belly kimchi, and barely including any cabbage in the kimchi dish (I was pretty sad about this ngl) The stew was delicious and I highly recommend it. Not the biggest fan of glass noodles so I would have preferred if they used flour or egg noodles It was fun to try, but I would prefer a more authentic Korean place next time. But if I were to come here again, I would probably get the stew and fried chicken again read more
3 years ago
Love the ambiance here, clean and sleek decor, perfect for a night out. Definitely hard to come by raw marinated shrimp in the bay, so glad I got to try it here! The shrimp was creamy and flavorful, and pairs perfectly with the bowl of rice topped with nori and egg yolk that comes with the dish. Also loved the soup! The service was so friendly and walked us through the menu thoroughly. They recommended that one soup and one shrimp was enough for two people and it was definitely the right call. Really want to try the grilled rice cakes next time! read more
I had a special craving for ilcha's airy and juicy fried chicken and nothing else would have cut it. Seriously the food here is just so satisfying in every way. Definitely get the crispy fried chicken and tender and flavorful galbi. The Kim mari and cheesy rice cakes are super good but you can probably skip and opt for the budae jiggae if you were just a party of 2 like us. But for 4 people all of that would be perfect! The vanilla ice cream on top of warm hotteok was the perfect end to our meal. read more
2 years ago
A friend and I went to Ilcha on Friday at around 6pm with no reservation and was seated right away. I think we took the last party of 2 seating available. Definitely noticed the restaurant getting busy relatively quickly. It did get loud to the point where it was hard to hear my friend talking but we weren't too bothered. The waiters were really nice and attentive! What we ordered: Corn cheese tater tots: 6/10 It was a simple appetizer that tasted good but I wasn't immediately blown away by it. It came with a gochujang paste-like sauce on the side which added a nice additional flavor. A decent dish. Budae jjigae: 7/10 this wasn't the best Budae jjigae I've had and I agree with other reviews that the flavor of the soup was slightly lacking. It had all of the standard Budae jjigae add ins and it tasted fresh. I would probably order their other main menu items over this one though. read more
5/5 the food. Super cute, clean place with delicious food. We had the fried chicken, the bossam and the marinated shrimp- all delicious. One odd thing is that they didn't give us enough lettuce/ perilla leaves for the bossam. When we asked for more, they said it was four dollars more, and brought out two times the amount we were given initially. ? We saw a table eating a soup and it looked amazing. Will be going back with a larger group to try other things on the menu- and more fried chicken. 4/5 the service. They told us we had a two hour visit, but then one hour into our meal they started to rush us. They tried to take away dishes even though we hadn't finished eating. They brought our bill early, too. Reserve a table. Even though there were empty tables, we saw people waiting. read more
I had been waiting to try ILCHA for a while now, and I'm so glad I made it in. My friend and I stopped by around 7:40 on a Friday evening with fingers crossed that we would get seated. Though the host couldn't promise us anything since we didn't have a reservation, he told us he would try his best. Low and behold, he pulled through and got us seated at around 8:10. I absolutely love the layout and the thoughtful design of the interior here. It really reminds me of what you see in those Korean dynasty kdramas LOL. It's elegant and refined but also feels comforting and rustic. We were seated on the long central table, which definitely gets lively and can get a bit loud. My friend I opted to get the Soy Marinated Raw Shrimp and the Bossam & Oysters. The shrimp was one of the best dishes I've had in a while. I love soy marinated raw crab, but I actually liked this shrimp rendition better. I like the bite that shrimp has, and it was also incredibly flavorful. Love that it comes with the rice. Highly recommend mixing it up and making rice balls to eat with the shrimp. Such a good pairing. As for the Bossam, I really enjoyed how clean the pork belly tasted. I do wish they gave a bit more lettuce wraps because that ratio was a bit off, and I do wish they also gave that classic salted shrimp dipping sauce. The oysters were a bit plus to this dish and also quite delicious. For dessert, we finished off with the Hotteok, which was absolutely divine. I'm a big fan of hotteok and this did not disappointed. Came out warm and toasty, and the vanilla ice cream on top was *chef's kiss.* Service was great throughout, and big thanks again to the host who got us in! read more
I had high hopes for this place looking at the menu and the decor. Sadly, things kind of fell apart when I visited. I came on a Friday night at 7pm with no reservation. My friend put our name down for walk in and there were 5 groups ahead of us. The waiter who took our name down would tell us the approximate wait time so we decided to wait. While we were waiting, there were about 1/3 of the seats left empty for those that made a reservation. Those groups did end up showing up but probably around 7:30-7:45pm? Ended up getting seated at around 8pm. Ordered around 8:10pm and food didn't arrive until 8:30-8:40pm. Ordered two items since the portions seemed pretty big. Highlight of the night - Ganjang Saewoo + Gyrean bap ($28): First time having raw shrimp and I love the marinade on it. Texture was interesting. Loved the side of rice with the seaweed and raw egg yolk. It's definitely not an item I see usually in other Korean restaurants. Highly recommend. Runner up - Budae jjigae ($35): Portion was nice but it wasn't anything interesting. Soup got really salty midway through as this was boiling on the hot pot stove on the table. Didn't finish the soup nor some of the ingredients. I feel like this soup should come with a side of rice with how salty it is. Low point - Service/Wait: I understand that this restaurant is popular and it's been getting a lot of write ups. I also understand that it was a Friday night and so there might be more people than expected. I think the staff was pretty slammed throughout the night and I really sympathized. What I don't understand is why there's no communication between staff and customers. If I was told that I needed to wait an hour, I would probably leave. And the groups ahead of us did end up leaving. It's also really disheartening to be told to wait and see empty chairs. Maybe there needs to be a revamp between the reservation system and walk ins. Waiting for the food also took longer than expected especially for two items. I'm not sure how things were prepped in advance and communication between front and back staff. Do I recommend this place? It's hard to say. Looking at there menu, everything is family style/shareable so the price can be deceiving. Was there something that absolutely blew me away? No. Is the Marina District lacking a good Korean restaurant and does this fill the need? Yes and yes. Would I go here again? Probably--if I was in the neighborhood. If you do decide to come here, I recommend getting a reservation and coming at the start of service (5:30pm). Also, order the ganjang saewoo. Can't go wrong. read more
Vibe: communal central table with individual tables to the side. Smaller clean restaurant vibes with darker lighting. Not great for huge groups but could handle group of 4-6 easily. Food: 4.5/5 AMAZING KFC (Korean fried chicken). So moist on the inside. Great flavor. Amazing crunch. The stews are really hardy but the bulgogi is on the sweet side (as it should be with the bulgogi marinade). Bossam was okay- not the best I've had but good. Oysters were good and a fun presentation to the normal oyster paired with Bossam. *not your typical Korean restaurant* there won't be a plethora of options- this place is mainly "bar food" or food to pair with alcohol (they have a great non-cocktail drink list). But if you're feeling stew and fried chicken I would def recommend. read more
My friend and I came here for a catch-up dinner and we were pleasantly surprised! Parking is fairly easy over here on a weekday and we made a Resy which made it easy easier to get seated. They give you a 1.5 hr time limit which is great because the food comes out super fast! Surprisingly the portions are huge, we couldn't finish everything we got! We started off with the cheese corn tater tots and the cheese rice cakes! The cheese corn tater tots were incredibly crispy and the melted corn with the cheese was amazing! The cheese rice cakes were just ok, it was rice cakes with melted cheese on top, if you love rice cakes and cheese you'll probably love this. The main star for us was the budaejigae! It was a huge portion for two people, it had so much stuff like spam, sausage, ramen, kimchi, enoki mushrooms, veggies and tofu. This place is so tasty, I'm definitely coming back here again! Reminds me so much of Korea! We also got the red monkey makgeolli which we loved, it didn't have a strong alcohol taste but it was really good! Total for 2: $90 read more
3 years ago
This place was SO GOOD! it was super authentic Korean but in a more elevated way. Reminded me of San Ho Won, but more casual vibes. Loved the service, everyone there, super attentive and fun. We got the bosam, bulgogi jeongol, and kim mari. Also got the Seoul night soju. All were fantastic. Great for coming with group of friends:) read more
3 years ago
This restaurant gets busy really fast so make your reservation in advance. I come for the raw marinated crab but we don't see that on the menu (fyi: it ended up the table next to us ordered it which you have to asked your server otherwise they won't mention it ) We got the raw shrimp, oyster, the pork dish than come with lettuce on the side and a hot pot. Over all food is not bad but not really worth the price. A little bit of fusion style too compared to what I had in Korean last year. Is ok to try it once but don't think I'll be back anytime soon read more
3 years ago
Been wanting to try this place for a while now and it did NOT disappoint. The inside is super classy and cute, just a bit small. We made a reservation for 8:45, and their last call for ordering food was 9:15. We quickly ordered and the food came out pretty fast. Only bummer was they were out of the raw marinated crab. First up was the raw marinated shrimp. AMAZING. Such a good soy flavor that went exceedingly well with shrimp. I'm not even the biggest lover of shrimp, but this was incredible. Easy to peel too. We supplemented this dish with the egg yolk rice, which was also really unique and good. Next we got the cheese tteok kkochi. Love love loved the cheesiness, pillowy texture, and flavor of this dish. Only thing is it's kinda pricey for what it is in my opinion. The fried chicken came with 4 sauces that all complimented the chicken so well. The sauces really made the dish, but that being said there wasn't too much actual flavor for the meat. Despite that it was super moist and crunchy, with flavoring from the sauce so I still loved it. The army stew was also really good. Great portion size and good contents. Just didn't stand out that greatly amongst other army stews I've had! I really want to come back and try other popular dishes, since what we got this time was so good. 5/5!! read more
I'm almost never in this part of San Francisco - Ilcha is nestled on Lombard street between the Marina and Cow Hollow. Which makes it a little hard to find parking, but we made it work. The restaurant is c GANJANG SAEWOO + GYREAN BAP Soy cured shrimp served with egg yolk rice, crushed seaweed, sesame oil Table fave! Texturally not for all probably as it's raw shrimp, but the soy cure really made the raw shrimp super tasty BUDAE JJIGAE Spicy ramen hotpot, kimchi, spam, assorted sausages, bean sprouts, onions, baked beans, American cheese. I was first introduced to army stew by my brother and was surprised at how good it was. Ilcha's army stew has a lot of everything, but I couldn't find the baked beans and wished there was more cheese! KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN (HALF ORDER) Served with cabbage salad, pickled radish and served with garlic soy sauce Super crispy/crunchy and moist. Not too darkly fired which I appreciated and loved the pickled radish served with the chicken! Will definitely come back for the rest of the menu and desserts! read more
3 years ago
Food is a 5! Service is just a little slow and not super friendly. The food could have been paced better as well. - Bossam and Oysters were so delicious, tender pork and sweet oysters - Fried Chicken was super crunchy and juicy, loved the addition of the pickles on the side - Gimmari also fresh and crunchy - Marinated shrimp was flavorful and tender, loved the gloves that came with - Bulgogi jeongul was good, nothing crazy, appreciated the chrysanthemum. Definitely will be going back! read more
3 years ago
I love this place! Kind of hidden in Lombard but a really good vibe and really good food. On a rainy night, this is the perfect comfort meal. I love their friend chicken - it is literally to die for. I have to order it every time I go. It is a bit pricey, but so yummy so I think it's worth it. Good for groups since servings are a bit on the bigger side (you order hot pot for table so at least two guests). Menu doesn't have a huge selection so make sure you check it before you go to make sure you like what they offer. read more
3 years ago
Booked a reservation for 2 on a Saturday at opening time (5:30pm) after reading reviews. And lemme tell ya, it's a good thing we did! They're pretty strict, which I like, about seating those with reservations first due to the limited space indoors. There's 1 shared bathroom at the entrance and you have a 2 hour limit upon being seated and placing your order. Just keep in mind, pricing is on the higher end. My friend and I decided to come here after seeing that they had raw marinated crabs but unfortunately they did not make any for this Saturday. We settled on getting the shrimp and bossam set with our 2nd choice makgeolli (the 1st choice was out of stock as well ). The shrimp was SOOO good. Definitely get this item which is what Ilcha is known for. It was buttery I would return if in the area for this one dish and if they had the crabs . Otherwise the bossam was decent, pretty tender but like others have mentioned there's not enough lettuce and ssam to go around for 2/the amount of pork. The oysters were interesting combined with bossam. KFC was also crispy and juicy AF! read more
Came here for dinner on a Sunday night. There was already a line before the restaurant even opened, but we were lucky enough to get a seat. I mainly came here for the soy cured shrimps. The shrimps were huge nicely marinated. I do think they were a bit tough to eat and would've preferred a melt-in-your-mouth texture. This dish comes with rice topped with seaweed, raw egg, and sesame oil. It was the perfect compliment to the shrimps. I highly recommend this dish. We also tried the kim mari and bulgogi tater tots. Both were pretty decent and priced reasonably. The tater tots had a surprising amount of beef, but I thought the sour cream overpowered other flavors and probably would've tasted better without. Overall this place had delicious food, great service, good portions, and reasonable price. read more
3 years ago
It was my first time having raw marinated shrimp and it was so so good! One serving was not enough for us so we had to order one more serving! The soup was ok, would definitely go back for the shrimp!! We didn't have a reservation and walked in. The host was so nice to seat us really fast. read more
More info about ILCHA
2151 Lombard St
San Francisco, CA 94123
Marina/Cow Hollow
Directions
(415) 613-9288
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http://www.ilchasf.com
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Ask the Community - ILCHA
When do they serve the marinade crab? We tried the marinade shrimp already?
Are children allowed? And also do they have booster seats or high chairs?
Do you have anything that's gluten free?
Galbi and rice, hotpots are gluten free for sure
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