Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Jilli

    4.3 (270 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM

    Order Jilli Takeout or Delivery

    Jilli Photos

    Business Info

    JILLI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Hipster
    Casual
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Jilli

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Sashimi dish
    Joanne L.

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

    Perilla oil noodle
    Melissa W.

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

    tea flight
    Taylor T.

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

    menu
    Sara T.

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

    Beef tartare
    Alyson C.

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

    Makgeolli flight and perilla oil noodles
    Cindy N.

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

    Tteokbokki  Small
    Vivi L.

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

    Jenny X.

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

    Makgeolli
    Christine W.

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

    Vivian L.

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

    Tteokbokki (fine, texture was too soft for me, cheese felt out of place)
    Linda H.

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

    Kathy V.

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

    Perilla oil noodles
    Lauren L.

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

    Tteokbokki Rose   Small

    See all

    16 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 days ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    12 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    19 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    24 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sara T.
    356
    349
    4840

    1 month ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    14 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    23 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 1
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 17
    Thanks 10
    Love this 15
    Oh no 1

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Adel W.
    407
    837
    2918

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 3
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 days ago

    The food was very good, shared a 3/4 plates between two people, quality and tasty food

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 7

    Jilli Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Jilli

    Is any part of your menu gluten free?

    Hello Martina, Currently, tuna dip & trout roe, jajang poutine are the 2 gluten free menu we have on our bar bites!

    Hi! I made a reservation on Friday 6/27 but need to adjust headcount. I called the store this past weekend but no one picked up. Since I made the reservation via phone call and not on the resy platform, I didnt get an email. Can someone help me?

    Hello, I'm so sorry no one picked up the phone. Please shoot us an email at jilli.sf25@gmail.com for reservation adjustments.

    View All 3 Questions

    Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup

    Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup

    4.5
    (2.4k reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$$

    Super filling and good for groups of 3-5 people!…read more I love Korean short ribs, especially if it's bathed in a savory, spicy, and (a little) sweet broth sauce. Top it with cheese and I'm a goner. If you've had Sun Nong Dan in LA, this is basically the same thing. We got there close to 6:30 PM and waited about 30 minutes. We already knew we wanted to get the galbijjim so we ordered that when the hostess checked us in and got us to our table. Banchan (side dishes) came out quickly, and then the galbijjim came out within like 10 minutes. We were a party of 3 so we definitely had plenty of leftovers that they kindly boxed up for us, too! Restaurant was lively and service was fast and friendly.

    We came around 1:45pm on a Saturday for lunch, and it was around a 30 minute wait. Ambiance was…read morecute though! Of course we had to get the kalbijjim because you cannot go to daeho without getting the kalbijjim. It was delicious as usual. The braised beef short rib was sooo tender and the sauce is delicious. Mild had the perfect kick of spiciness. The potatoes and carrots soaked in the sauce so well, it was very tasty. We got it with cheese, and despite me not liking cheese, it tasted yummy. Their cheese is sweet, and they torch it perfectly. We also tried one of the cold noodles and one of the soups this time. Tbh I don't remember exactly which ones they were because my friend ordered for us. But I thought both of them were pretty mid tbh. There wasn't really any flavor in either of them. I did like the noodle texture in the soup though. The purple rice was delicious, man I wish I could cook my purple rice that well. The banchan was disappointing though :( Kimchi didn't taste fresh. TLDR: get the kablijjim. nothing and i mean nothing beats the kablijjim at daeho. it's a must try, life changing.

    Photos
    Beef rib with cheese and rice cake
    Beef rib with cheese and rice cake
    Su Yuk-Boiled Beef Slices
    Su Yuk-Boiled Beef Slices
    Regular Galbijimm

    See all

    Regular Galbijimm
    Seoul Garden

    Seoul Garden

    3.3
    (510 reviews)
    1.4 mi
    $$

    Service is really great and the staff are super attentive and sweet, so 5 stars for this!…read more But everything we ordered was below average (2 stars), especially considering the price. And the Spicy Calamari & Bulgogi was actually $20 higher (!!!) than what's listed on Yelp (no prices on website), so find this pretty misleading. It was also overcooked, so bummer all around. Took a chance on this Japantown fav and left wishing I'd purchased basically anything else there. Apparently I'm not alone, while all the other restaurants were bustling on a busy Sunday evening, this one was virtually empty.

    Wow what an overlooked, old school gem. It's crazy to think they've been open since 1984…read more Their barbecue is actually pretty solid - we got the Seoul Garden galbee (boneless) and the "original" galbee. The original galbee was slightly better, and it's cut the traditional style (with one big rib at the end), not LA kalbi style. But both were great. The banchan I thought were fine, I loved the quantity / variety, but some of them were too sweet or too bland for me (although kudos for them being very good about refilling them). The mung bean pancake was very crispy but I don't think I like the flavor of mung bean pancake. Perhaps the seafood pancake is the move next time. Fried chicken was very craggy and not overly sauced - as a matter of personal preference, I didn't love it, the batter almost reminded me a bit of southern fried chicken which I'm not a fan of. They also give you a free matcha ice cream to end your meal! The prices are perhaps a few dollar higher than some of the more popular spots in the Richmond or Sunset, but you don't have to wait in a line and (assuming you don't live in those neighborhoods) you also don't have to spend money Ubering that far out.

    Photos
    Seoul Garden
    Crispy fried chicken - very good
    Crispy fried chicken - very good
    Fried Rice

    See all

    Fried Rice
    Bansang

    Bansang

    4.1
    (612 reviews)
    1.4 mi

    Oh my, what a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting the entire experience to be this impressive…read more Located across from the Fillmore, Bansang's exterior is fairly understated and doesn't immediately hint at what's inside. Once you step through the doors, however, you're greeted by a space that feels both cozy and contemporary, with an effortlessly stylish atmosphere. Even the restroom was thoughtfully designed and remarkably comfortable--a small detail, but one that speaks to the restaurant's overall attention to detail. We began with the Uni Scallop Toast and Mulhwe as appetizers. As someone who is typically not a fan of uni due to its pronounced brininess, I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed the toast. The bright citrus sauce balanced the richness of the uni beautifully, while the contrasting textures from the crisp toast and delicate scallop created a harmonious bite. The scallop also helped mellow the stronger oceanic notes of the uni. It was a creative and memorable dish unlike anything I've had before. The Mulhwe, a Korean-style fish salad, was dressed in a refreshing apple vinaigrette that gave it a light, summery citrus character. The fish itself had a pleasantly chewy texture--firmer than salmon--with no trace of fishiness. While enjoyable, it didn't leave quite the same impression as the uni toast and was my least favorite dish of the evening. For our entrées, we ordered the Galbi Steak and Pork Jowl Bossam. Both dishes showcased exceptional execution. The meats were cooked perfectly, but what stood out even more was the precision in preparation. The steak was expertly sliced and incredibly tender--so much so that even with braces, it was effortless to enjoy. The pork jowl achieved an ideal balance between lean meat and luscious fat, creating a rich yet satisfying bite. We enjoyed the meal so much that dessert was non-negotiable. The Matcha Tiramisu was a creative interpretation of the classic. A dome of mascarpone cheese encased ladyfinger biscuits at its center, accompanied by a vibrant matcha ganache sauce. The dessert leaned far less sweet than traditional tiramisu, allowing the earthy matcha and creamy mascarpone flavors to shine. It was elegant, balanced, and a wonderful way to end the meal. Lastly, the service was outstanding. Our server was soft-spoken, patient, and genuinely attentive throughout the evening, making the experience feel warm and welcoming. Considering the quality of the food, thoughtful presentation, ambiance, and service, I found the pricing to be completely justified. As a pleasant surprise, I later learned that Bansang is part of the same restaurant group behind Daeho--a detail that certainly explains the level of quality we experienced.

    Came here for a belated birthday dinner and had a great experience! My friend had made a 7:30 PM…read morereservation, but we arrived early and they were able to seat us right away at 6:40 PM. The ambiance is modern and chic, which made it perfect for a celebration. Our waitress let us know they recently updated the menu with some new dishes. She explained that everything is meant to be shared and recommended ordering three to five plates for two people, so we ended up ordering a total of five items including dessert. To start, we had the Hokkaido Uni Scallop Toast, which was incredibly fresh and melted in our mouths, along with the new Early Girl Tomato Salad that our waitress recommended. The salad was refreshing and had a nice little crunch to it. For our mains, we had the Pork Jowl Bossam and the Prime Finger Ribs with Rice Cake. Hands down, those ribs and rice cakes were my absolute favorite dish of the night. The rice cakes were deep-fried to the perfect texture, and the whole plate was just bursting with flavor. We finished the meal with the Matcha Tiramisu for dessert. Since we were celebrating my birthday, they sweetened the night by bringing it out with a sparkler.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Uni Scallop Toast
    Uni Scallop Toast
    Pork Jowl Bossam

    See all

    Pork Jowl Bossam
    Yakiniq

    Yakiniq

    3.3
    (1.8k reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$$

    YakiniQ really said "leave hungry? never heard of her."…read more Pulled up with my homie Jun because this man treated me to lobster last time and you already know... Asians keep receipts but in a wholesome way We don't split love, we rotate blessings. For $49.99/person, this AYCE Korean BBQ was straight violating my self-control. The short ribs?? HELLA BUSSIN. Like actually criminal. Every bite had me ascending like a TikTok food review in 4K. Meat so juicy I almost stood up and thanked the cow personally. The grill smoke got us smelling like seasoned warriors walking outta there but honestly worth it. Staff kept the meats coming faster than my auntie asking why I'm still single. And let me put y'all onto some elite Chinese vocabulary real quick: "好吃到舔手指" (hǎo chī dào tiǎn shǒu zhǐ) = "so good you lick your fingers." That's EXACTLY the vibe. Finger-licking good fr fr. YakiniQ got me fighting for my life, unbuttoning my pants in the parking lot, and already planning my return. 10/10. No crumbs left. Their "Red Hot" peanut sauce is the carry here - no doubt. Highly recommend with my utmost respectful regards!

    Came here last night to celebrate a friend's birthday. Had poor experiences at the Livermore…read morelocation in the past, so wasnt really expecting much from this spot either. Granted we were a bit late for our reservation, we ended up having to wait another 30-40 mins. The place (2nd floor) is small & awkward. We were all cramped waiting on the stairway and the actual seating area is also fairly small for a busy KBBQ place/big parties. The 8 of us squeezed into a booth with 2 chairs on the side. You can also feel whenever the table next to us got up and stomped/yelled/moved in their chairs-- which was really often. The basic AYCE menu is fairly limited-- esp for the side options. The marinated meats were pretty good as was the tteokbokki. Side & meat portions were alright, but the kicker is having to flag down staff to make sure they put in the order & bring it out. We asked for japchae about 5 times before it actually reached our table towards the end of our meal. The server/manager also told us that he had accidentally brought out 2 bottles of soju for us and that he'd COMP 1 bottle. We didnt notice that he had actually charged us for 2 and comped/subtracted a "third" one. So none were really comped at all. I just realized after we paid and that felt really sketchy. Idk if it's worth coming back here.

    Photos
    Short ribs
    Short ribs
    Yakiniq
    Seafood pancake

    See all

    Seafood pancake
    Irodori

    Irodori

    3.8
    (20 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    The service here was so bad that I think about it almost a year later and finally decided to leave…read morethis review. I almost never give bad reviews. The ONLY reason I give a 2 star is 1 star for the food which was decent, but nothing I couldn't get at another restaurant to be honest. And half of that star goes to the sweet waitress who tried her best with us. I came in with my boyfriend maybe an hour before break time midday (unbeknownst to us) as the sign outside is faded and in LIGHT blue marker on a soju standee. Pro tip: maybe you should update that off to the side sign in small letters as well as your closing time on google + Apple Maps before you grumpily yell at your customers to leave AFTER taking our money and giving us food (which btw we were there about 30 minutes). Or don't seat us at all. Thanks! Would not recommend.

    After the cherry blossom festival yesterday my friend and I decided to have dinner. We sat outside…read moreand no one came to take our order. My friend went inside and a server reluctantly came to our table. We ordered $90 worth of food and enjoyed people walking around. When the food came the waitress brought the check with the food and asked for our credit card. We hadn't taken a bite yet. They never offed us to refill our glass of water. When we did go to pay they asked us if the credit we were using was ours and asked for his id. They seemed to treat the other guest better. Maybe it's because we are Black Americans or maybe they just suck. The food was subpar the fried chicken was overcooked and my stomach hurt all last night. I live up the street on Bush so this would be a local spot. The service was terrible so they will never get my business again. Yes black people live in the neighborhood and eat Korean food and have credit cards.

    Photos
    Indoor
    Indoor
    Irodori
    Irodori

    See all

    Yasijang

    Yasijang

    4.8
    (234 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    Easy seating (and parking) for an early dinner on a Monday night…read more The restaurant was dark, and we noticed an installation on the wall. It turns out people collect their bottle caps in clear capsules. Fun idea. We were very pleased to hear Woodz for most of our dining experience. I love jokbal, and I've never had it served in this style. Usually I've had large platters of sliced meat, but this was a bowl of the boney parts. It was so delicious. It melted right off the bone, and it had a little heat. I want to go back for this alone. Also enjoyed a dish of kimchi fried rice and sotteok sotteok with a happy hour priced soju.

    Fun place to come to for food and drinks. Food was pretty good for the most part…read more - Soy garlic k-fried chicken: this was good and juicy. I like the wing pieces. Super crispy and flavorful. - Bossam: was alright. About 5 pieces. Came with sauce, but could have used more marination and flavor. Also wish there was a lettuce to wrap with. - Pork bangbang: this was tender and super flavorful. - Stairway to heaven: this was a nice surprise. The sushi was presented in a really cool way and the quality was really good. - Fresh lemon soju: I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it looked like lemon slices in soju. But it was really good and I appreciated the freshness of the lemon. Overall, it was a great place for a GNO.

    Photos
    Yasijang
    SPICY TUNA TOWER
    SPICY TUNA TOWER
    Flying fish roe, stir-fried kimchi, and fresh vegetables in a hot pot.

    See all

    Flying fish roe, stir-fried kimchi, and fresh vegetables in a hot pot.
    San Wang Restaurant

    San Wang Restaurant

    3.8
    (690 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Went there during the Fillmore Festival at around 11:30. Was surprised there weren't more…read morecustomers. I first started eating at this place around 1990 and have at times stopped going once I moved out of the city. I try to go at least once a year. Have always enjoyed their clams, dried fried chicken, jia jiang mian, and seafood noodle soup. Clams were still plentiful, plump, and very fresh. Noodle were still good. The owner recommended I try the Jjamppong and tubot. The jjamppong like their other noodles were good but the standout was the turbot: steamed to perfection, fresh, and tasty. I can't compare it to other fish but it was soft, smooth, and buttery. I have seen the owner before cooking in the kitchen but it looks now father time has caught up and he is thoroughly enjoying helping out in the front. He was talkative and pleasant to talk to.

    This place was really good. I found it through yelp. After being at the Japan town mall waiting for…read moremy family to finish shopping, I wanted Chinese food that was further away. So I found this place and we walked in with few customers. We ordered a soup, and were about to order something else when the server/cook suggested we order the meal for 3. He let us substitute the white rice for fried rice and cashew chicken for lemon chicken that we wanted. Boy was it a real treat. We added a chicken chow mein and we weren't disappointed. All in all, we came out stuffed with leftovers, and great service to boot. We were the only ones in the restaurant at the time which was surprising, how great the food and service were. Come here and you won't regret it!

    Photos
    San Wang Restaurant
    Dry-Fried Chicken
    Dry-Fried Chicken
    Pickled kimchi

    See all

    Pickled kimchi
    Han Il Kwan

    Han Il Kwan

    4.1
    (2.2k reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$$

    Came here walk-in on a Friday evening at 6:30 and waited for almost 45 mins for a table for 2. Get…read morethe galbijim! It's a steal and It's delicious- so much meat it lasted me 3 meals. The wait for the dish was almost 25 mins but all worth it !The complimentary soup and banchan were huge and alright. The servers know what they were doing but one minor thing about my experience was that the waitress served a really really hot dish at her convenience and I had to move it to the center for sharing. Since they're busy they expect you to finish your meal, pay and go.

    food was good and there was no wait on a sunday afternoon for a table of 6. everything was on point…read morebasically except for the service- as soon as we told them we were only ordering three dishes, their demeanor changed entirely lol. that probably plus the fact that we were young/it was our first time here got them extra annoyed, even though we were polite. banchan was all yummy, rice was $2 per extra bowl (3 were included). we chose soft tofu soup over the steamed egg, which we were told was one or the other, per table. we ordered bulgogi, brisket, and a seafood pancake. literally all the dishes were good but we were not checked in on once. we noticed them checking in on other tables, but deliberately skipping ours. we'd have to flag someone down whenever we wanted something, and when we asked for banchan refills they said ok and never got it to us. we just ended up finishing our meal without it. service was rude, inattentive, and overall lacking. would come back again if i didn't care for service!

    Photos
    Comfortable inside space
    Comfortable inside space
    Marinated Beef Rib Eye
    Marinated Beef Rib Eye
    Fish Cake

    See all

    Fish Cake
    Ganji

    Ganji

    4.6
    (628 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Free WiFi

    What a gem amongst all the restaurants in Japan Town! It's in the outside center near the…read morestationary store Paper Tree for reference. Been here a couple of times already and the service never failed. Even came here during the Cherry Blossom Festival and the staff were still friendly / accommodating. They even put a spicy sauce on the side of one of the katsu plates when we mentioned that my dad couldn't handle all that haha. This cozy spot mainly focuses on katsu plates, but I like how they had off menu or specials to choose from if you'd like another option. I will say though them katsu plates were just chef's kiss. The meat is pounded thin enough where it's still juicy and tender, but doesn't affect the exterior from being crunchy and a bit flaky. Nothing was dry here yallll! I also like how it already comes with miso soup and salad. Huge fan of that Hamachi Truffle special though. Think of a citrusy flavor from the ponzu, fresh fish, a bit of micro greens, and a thin slice of jalapeño that just ~works~ on a cute wooden spoon that you want to steal I could honestly eat like 5 spoons of this. I'd skip on the calamari as it was kind of skimpy to share with a large group. Only note was that their fried katsu curry was a bit underwhelming with having more slices of carrots than potato! Would love to come back if I am ever in the area.

    i was very happy to try this spot, and will likely make it a frequent return…read more the portions are very generous, and all the entrees come with a miso soup, salad, and bowl of rice. the teriyaki chicken had great texture and flavorful sauce. the chicken katsu is enormous, and also cooked very well. the service was also very diligent, and kept a good eye on our pace and needs.

    Photos
    Ganji
    Ganji
    Ganji

    See all

    Ollei

    Ollei

    4.5
    (340 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    The service is great and the servers are awesome. The restaurant is really loud so if you're…read moreexpecting a quiet place to sit down, do not go here. They have MVs projecting on the wall too so that adds to the noise. As for the food, everything is great! The pajeon is flavorful, light and crispy. It had a lot of kimchi so that was yum. The army stew was not too salty and warmed us up! The soy garlic chicken was not overly sweet and was crispy too. The spicy pork was good but there were a few pieces that was chewy. It wasn't that spicy though but it still tasted good. The creamy pasta and tteok was good too and lived up to its name. I did find that the tteok was chewier than normally, but my partner said it was fine so to each their own. Will probably come back for a third visit!

    We ended up eating at Ollei because of proximity. The streets were a bit chaotic, and parking was a…read morechallenge, but this Korean restaurant wasn't a far walk from us. We stepped inside to put our names on the list. While we waited outside we checked out their menu, which was conveniently displayed on their window. The dishes sounded great and it helped us decide what to order before we were even seated. The restaurant was on the smaller side, so seating was a tad cramped, but overall it felt cozy. They had a cute neon light with their name. We got a couple appetizers, which included the pan fried dumplings and tteokbokki. I ordered the Spicy Japchae for my main dish. They brought the banchan out pretty quickly, which we all devoured in seconds because we were so hungry. Then our main dishes started coming out of the kitchen. My spicy japchae was just the right amount of heat. Spicy enough to still be enjoyable. While eating our main dishes the pan fried dumplings came out, which was odd since we ordered it as an appetizer. And the tteokbokki we had ordered, never was added to our order by our waiter. After being told that by another waiter, we just decided to cancel it. The meal was pretty filling without feeling too heavy. Overall, it was decent.

    Photos
    Dining Room
    Dining Room
    Seafood Pancake / 해물파전
    Seafood Pancake / 해물파전
    Corn Cheese Plate

    See all

    Corn Cheese Plate

    Jilli - korean - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...