Jilli

Jilli is so up my alley it feels a little like it was made specifically for me, a second-gen Korean Angeleno who loves alcohol and lives 15 minutes away on foot. I do think it's also great for you, though, a person on Yelp looking for a fun place to eat and drink in Koreatown.I went with three girlfriends last week, and I found it pretty ideal for a leisurely Wednesday night catch-up dinner. The restaurant was small--Jilli occupies the slim 6th Street slot that used to house an old favorite of mine, Sushi One--with cute decor and a comfortable atmosphere in keeping with the modern suljip concept. You might think of Jilli as a Korean American wine bar or izakaya, where the food is meant to be eaten with booze. It definitely reminded me of Korea, where every bar is also a late-night restaurant.Service was friendly and attentive. Our waiter took care of us when we needed her and left us alone when we didn't. We ended up hanging out for over three hours, until close to 11, when we were gently told the place was closing. This seemed reasonable, though I do see that the listed hours are 6PM-11PM on Wednesday nights, so we weren't unduly lingering.Jilli offers beer, wine, makgeolli, and soju, as well as a handful of low-ABV cocktails. We drank Hana Makgeolli Yakju, a fruity rice wine made in Brooklyn, and good old Chamisul Fresh, which we got with lime wedges.The food was fantastic and easy to share. The honey butter chips were addictive, sweet and salty homemade potato chips with honey butter. I loved the tuna dip and trout roe, which came with Ace and Charm crackers, still in their distinctive packaging. The shrimp toast might have been my favorite dish of the night, and also the least Korean (honey butter chips = super Korean). These were crispy, deep-fried squares of toast made with chopped shrimp and white bread, served with lime and a chili vinaigrette for dunking. I also enjoyed the cucumber salad, an elevated banchan with crunchy cucumber drizzled with a spicy, vinegary gochujang dressing.Of the larger items, I would highly recommend the uni tteokbokki, a unique, delicious take on the ultimate Korean street food. The fried rice cakes were chewy but soft, and I loved the creamy, briny uni butter sauce, heightened with parmesan and bright bursts of smoked trout roe. The salmon fried rice was another winner, fluffy and flavorful, with egg, soy-cured salmon, scallion, and seaweed. The only miss was the Chimmelier KFC. I guess this used to be made with wings, but it was "K-popcorn chicken" last week. Not dreadful, but bland and dry as Korean fried chicken goes. I did like the accompanying yangyum sauce and soy vin pickles.There were no desserts on offer, not that we needed them (though I just want to point out that honey butter chips and ice cream are a classic combination). We finished our Chamisul instead.I had a blast at Jilli and would totally go back for another soju-centric Koreatown dinner. It's a useful spot with good vibes and some very tasty food.

I was able to get a same-day reservation at this spot, which was exciting since my friends and I had been wanting to try it for months. Our reservation was at 6:30 PM, and we got there a little early at 6:25 PM. They seated us right away, and since we already knew what we wanted, we ordered pretty quickly.We got two drinks and six dishes: shrimp toast, uni tteokbokki, salmon fried rice, rigatoni alla kimchi vodka, Chimmelier KFC, and cucumber salad. Here's how everything went down:6:38 PM - Shrimp Toast (4.1/5)Tasty, but a little too salty for me. I enjoyed the crispiness of the toast.6:44 PM - Uni Tteokbokki (3.9/5)I liked that the uni flavor wasn't too strong, and the rice cakes were nice and soft.6:46 PM - Cucumber Salad (3/5)Why did this take so long to come out?7:10 PM - Rigatoni alla Kimchi Vodka (3.75/5)The portion was tiny for $21, and it took forever. Taste-wise, it was just okay.7:17 PM - Chimmelier KFC (2.8/5)Basically just popcorn chicken/nuggets. Again, why did it take so long? 7:25 PM - Salmon Fried Rice (3.4/5)Pretty average, nothing special.The weirdest part? The restaurant wasn't even busy--only about 11 people were there when we ordered. But somehow, our food took forever, and we even saw the table next to us get their rigatoni within 10 minutes of ordering.Overall, the place has a nice vibe and would be good for catching up with friends or a chill first date. But the slow service was kind of a letdown.

Yummy shrimp toastAmazing Pork JowlUni TeokbokiRigatoni alla kimchi vodkaUnique menu, all delicious. Worth the wait

The vibe is cool, but I have a lot of issues with the food. I think we've all gotten a little carried away with the whole "tapas" thing. I came here because the picture of the kimchi vodka rigatoni looked really good, but was disappointed to see how small the portion size is. Now, I think the tapas thing could have been cool - people could try a bunch of small dishes as they chat and drink. Yes, very cute. What's not cute is charging people full entree prices for a tiny portion and slapping the "tapas" label on it to justify it. I mean, no matter how you look at it, it's a tiny plate of pasta that you're charging $21 for. $21 is a price for a regular portion of pasta, not the kid's meal portion they served to us. It was good pasta though. Maybe a little runny but that's the least of its problems.And the Chimmelier KFC was some of the worst fried chicken I've ever had. It was so dry. It was essentially popcorn chicken - stuff I would expect from a Tastea (except Tastea's would taste better). And the biggest joke is that they're charging $25 for it.The Meat Jeon... it was a very good omelette. Like if you told me it was just eggs, I would've been like "oh this is a really good omelette." But this was the eggiest Jeon I've ever had. There was almost no flour content in it. I don't think you could call it a batter. It tasted like if you had nothing in your fridge and decided to crack some eggs in a bowl, whisk 'em up, and fry them with some bulgogi you had leftover in your fridge. With some sliced green onion on top. There, I just described to you exactly how it tasted. My drink was the Kace Study. I actually wanted to try the Makgeoli, but our server recommended this cocktail to me. It was ok. Soju with a hint of tea flavor without the biting feeling of alcohol with a stick of gummy bears in it. It was good. Very clean, but kinda simple. Lowkey I've made a better version using the peach tea in the pink pouches at Hmart and mixing it with peach soju. Service was decent. We were sat immediately. It was kinda hard to hear our server because it was so loud. I asked for recommendations but I couldn't hear a thing she said to me haha. I know I had a lot of complaints, but I actually think this place has potential. It's a good concept and some of the stuff tasted good. I think that there is some stuff that needs to go back to the drawing board before it is a decent place.

We came here for dine LA and for the price it's pretty worth. You have butter potato chips as starters. The choice of perilla oil noodles, shrimp toast, or beef tartar as apps. The noodles were soo good. And then you have the option of salmon fried rice, kimchi vodka pasta, Korean fried chicken as the main. And for drinks that's apart of the menu you have the option of a list of alcohol (a full bottle of soju). We dined in a group of 4 so we were able to get one of everything. I liked the chicken, and salmon fried rice. The Kimchi vodka pasta was comforting and familiar. And since it was our birthday the owner and bar tender offered us a shot. The service overall was really friendly and attentive. And the ambiance was super intimate. I would totally come back and recommend to friends for dinner

It's a very very small restaurant. It's dim, there's cute drawings and a projector playing some anime film. The music is kind of loud and since it's a small restaurant other people are loud too. There's only a few tables and bar seating.- Pork Jowl 5/5THE BEST pork jowl I have ever eaten in my whole life. It's SO tender and so juicy. I was mind blown. It does take a bit to come out. *RECOMMEND**DINELA Experience*- Shrimp Toast 3.6/5It was good, but it was on the saltier side. The chunks of shrimp was yummy as not everything was minced down. The spicy dipping ponzu sauce or something was good on the side as well. Paired well. It would also be nice with something sort of mayo based sauce, balance out the saltiness. - Perilla Oil Noodles 3.9/5Actually pretty light and fresh tasting. It's soba noodles. - Wagyu Yukhoe 2.1/5This was the worst dish of the night. It lacked seasoning. It tasted interesting with the seaweed(I think?).- Kimchi Rigatoni 4.8/5Super super yummy, kind of reminded me of eating Al pastor tacos (haha.) the kimchi flavor is there. The pasta is cooked perfectly. Amount of sauce was perfect. *RECOMMEND*There's valet parking in the back ($16.50)... SO expensive. Also he said once you valet, even if the restaurant is full and you go back to your car within 5 min he will STILL make you pay. Make sure your restaurant accepts you!

Jilli offers a unique twist on the traditional Korean drinking establishment, eschewing the typical sooljib pocha atmosphere for a more refined wine bar ambiance. The space evokes hidden gems tucked away in NYC that I always love going to.The standout dish at Jilli is undoubtedly the Tuna Dip with Trout Roe. This appetizer strikes a perfect balance of flavors and textures, with the rich, savory tuna complemented by the briny pop of trout roe. Served with crisp crackers, it's an addictive start to the meal that leaves you craving more.In contrast, the Shrimp Toast falls short of expectations. While the concept of fried minced shrimp on toast with chili vinaigrette sounds promising, the execution is underwhelming. The portion size doesn't justify the price, leaving diners feeling slightly shortchanged.Jilli redeems itself with the Rigatoni alla Kimchi Vodka, a dish that perfectly encapsulates the restaurant's fusion of Korean and Western influences. This pasta dish is a triumph, seamlessly blending the tangy, spicy notes of kimchi with the creamy richness of a vodka sauce. It's a must-try for anyone visiting Jilli.A word of caution regarding the Makgeolli flight: it's best avoided. The portions are disappointingly small, and the lack of discernible alcohol content makes it feel like a watered-down experience. For those looking to explore Korean rice wine, this offering fails to deliver on both quantity and quality.Jilli's atmosphere and select dishes make it a worthy addition to Koreatown's dining scene. While not every item on the menu hits the mark, the restaurant's unique ambiance and standout dishes like the Tuna Dip and Rigatoni alla Kimchi Vodka make it worth a visit for those seeking a more upscale Korean fusion experience.

I was such a big fan of Chimmelier, that I had to try their sister company Jilli! I definitely recommend making a reservation if you're planning on dining there because they have extremely limited seating.Now let's get into it! I came with a group of five and we had all intentions of ordering one of each item on the menu, but they were out of a few dishes from a busy holiday season. Regardless, we got everything, except for those three items and doubled up on the shrimp toast (which you can also get at Chimmelier). Here's what we got:* Honey Butter Chips* Perilla Oil Noodles* Silken Tofu* Shrimp Toast* Meat Jeon* Wagyu Yukhwe* Salmon Fried Rice* Rigatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka* Chimmelier KFC* Cucumber Salad* Soy Vin PicklesTo be completely honest, I enjoyed every single item that we ordered. But I'll give you my top three - 1) Shrimp Toast. It has the perfect golden crisp and amazing texture. You also can't beat the chili vinaigrette dipping sauce that comes with it! 2) Rigatoni Alla Kimchi Vodka. Super creamy kimchi flavor with a touch of bacon in each bite. A Korean-fusion masterpiece! 3) Silken Tofu. I honestly didn't think that this would make it to my top 3, but I'm a sucker for soy and vinegar, and this sauce was just that! It was very reminiscent of Japanese agadashi tofu, which is also a hit for me. Surprisingly, the Chimmelier KFC was probably my least favorite and it's because it was boneless popcorn chicken. I need wings because they have so much more flavor!Overall, a solid restaurant. The ambiance was giving Korean street food, they had some nostalgic trinkets sprinkled throughout as decor. Service was great - extremely friendly and attentive!

It's almost a shame my friends and I started our Saturday night at Jilli because our experience here set an insurmountable bar. Our party of 3 arrived to put our name down around 7:20 and were told it would be an hour's wait due to their extremely limited table (3-4) and bar (~9) seating options. After 45 minutes of milling around the area we popped back in and were seated at the bar. Colored neon lighting, lively conversation, and the intimate space create one of the most memorable eating surroundings I've had to date.Makgeolli Flight: 4 glasses of Korean rice wine. Favorites included the light and melony Sang and the muted, classic flavor of the Hana that was greatly enhanced when consumed with food. I personally wasn't a fan of the strong banana flavor of what I believe was the Angma and its very nasal burn.Wagyu Yukhoe: Standout dish of the night and my whole LA trip. House-fried chips inserted into a decadent cheese-dusted beef tartare, all sitting atop a layer of salty and tangy nori relish. Kevin, who I later found out was the owner, was delighted to discuss the process behind the seaweed sauce with me as I shared some of the other interesting ways I had consumed seaweed at other restaurants.Rigatoni alla Kimchi Vodka: hearty, spicy, and a wonderful accompaniment to the drinks. However, the concept isn't much more than a simple twist to a popular recipe and I would be more open to trying a different dish on my next visit.Kace Study Peach Ring Cocktail: This wasn't supposed to be available until the day after our visit, but Kevin was nice enough to make one for us to try that night in addition to another shot made with blue curacao! The best description I can come up with for the cocktail is a peach gummy-flavored LaCroix that I think was made with soju, so it didn't taste too strong.Thanks again Kevin and staff! I'll be by again as soon as I can for more of your wonderful service and menus.

I absolutely loved this spot. It's been in my bookmarks and I'm so glad I finally tried this place out. Originally I had come, mostly excited for the various Korean rice wine options, but boy did their small plates take my crazy surprise.We ordered their rice wine flight so we could figure out which one we loved. The sang and anigma were our top favorites!Please do not forget to order the shrimp toast, pork jowl and rigatoni. Everything was literally 10/10!! I don't remember the last time where every dish I had was that amazing. And the service... impeccable!! The employee (but seemed more like the owner), was so informative on the different wine options and was super generous with us!I cannot wait to go back! If you're reading this, put the phone away and start heading over there!