I have been to SF a couple of times before, but after I moved back to Vietnam 4 years ago, I haven’t been back. This time would be special for me because I have my husband with me. I stumbled upon a review about Jilli on TikTok and got curious. So I booked us a table, and with my husband’s interests on Korean food, convincing him wasn’t hard, haha.

Jilli is an inspired shared tapas pairing with makgeolli (Korean natural rice wine), a modern take on Korean drinking culture in SF. Makgeolli is the main event, and their food pairs perfectly with it. We ordered a few things on the menu to try it, and ordered ourselves a flight of their homemade makgeolli to share.

Our first dish was Seoul Crudo, with hamachi crudo drizzled with sesame oil, beet, seasonal citrus (yuzu luxe and mandarin), cho-gochujang (gochujang vinaigrette), and topped with fresh microgreens (cilantro, wasabi, spring onions). The hamachi was buttery and soft, the cho-gochujang was slightly sweet with a kick of sourness from the vinaigrette. The fresh microgreens added a light crunch, which helps with how rich the hamachi could get.

This Yukhoe (Beef Tartare) was using wagyu beef, so it was very soft and fatty; it melted in my mouth. The seaweed mayo aioli was slightly “fishy” from the seaweed, yet creamy from the mayo aioli; the crunchy fried scallion added texture to the soft “melted in the mouth” wagyu. Grana Padano was topped on the bed of the wagyu, which added even more flavor and saltiness. The house-made potato chips were to scoop the tartare.

When you come to SF, you cannot pass on clam chowder, it’s a crime. Which is why we ordered Duenjang (Soybean) Clam Chowder w/ Potato Foam when we saw it on the menu. It was buttery warm chowder with Korean soybean paste, cream, fresh clam, anchovy, celery, and onion. Some of the ingredients are not too familiar to be found in a traditional clam chowder, but it’s interesting to see two cultures come together. However, I didn’t taste some of those ingredients in the soup. Korean soybean paste typically would have a heavier taste and smell, and of course, added in the dry anchovy (I assumed based on my knowledge of Korean food, where they would use dry anchovy for seafood broth), I didn’t taste any of that in the chowder. Just a creamy, potato foam clam chowder.

Rigatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka was their most reviewed dish. It was a simple yet delicious not-too-spicy rigatoni vodka with washed kimchi, bacon & cheese. Not many comments on this since it was straight up delicious. The dish kept us nodding the entire time.

Pork Jowl Jeyuk was recommended by our waitress, and the dish needed to be cooked in 20-30 mins, so we ordered ahead. The pork jowl was marinated in gochujang for 24 hours, grilled over charcoal, and served with salsa verde and tomato ssamjang. With a side of ssam (lettuce and perilla leaf) to wrap, just like how the Koreans wrap their BBQ. The tomato ssamjang was very interesting, with a slight hint of sweetness and sourness from the tomato, and spiciness and saltiness from doenjang and gochujang. And the salsa verde added a tangy flavor to lighten up the dish. And it was the perfect dish to end the meal, so fulfilling, so satisfying.

Makgeolli Flight of the Day

Sang Takja 6% ABV: traditional makgeolli, freshly brewed in LA.
White Lotus 6% ABV: a delightfully balanced blend of White Lotus that offers subtle notes of delicate floral aromas.
Red Monkey Makgeolli 10.8% ABV: made with red yeast rice, which gives this brew its bright crimson color. It has natural sweetness from rice that balances fresh acidity. Thich Texture
Hana Hwaja 12% ABV: organic rice infused with hydrangea and crysanthemum flowers.

As people no longer drink to get drunk, they value their health, the company, and the experience. Jilli SF gives you all of that. The casual dining vibe with a small space gives a very cozy atmosphere. They can only fit small groups due to their space, but it was such a fun place to have a date or to catch up with your close friends.

Location: 1503 15th St, San Francisco, CA 94103