In a somewhat melancholic turn for local foodies, Ilcha, the modern Korean eatery in San Francisco's Marina District, has announced it will serve its last plate of the much-lauded fried chicken by Valentine's Day. The closure notice, dropped on Instagram and reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, states that February 14 will mark the end of a short but impactful chapter for the eatery located at 2151 Lombard St.
Owners Kummi Kim and Hilwin Wong, who opened Ilcha's doors back in 2022, are bowing out with gratitude, according to their Instagram post. The farewell message reminisces about the warm support from patrons and the joys shared, "WE'VE GOT A LITTLE UPDATE. AS THE SAYING GOES, IT WAS TRULY FUN WHILE IT LASTED, AND WE ARE THANKFUL FOR EVERY MOMENT." Despite no clear reason being disclosed for the closing, they extend an invitation to customers to create a few more memories before the final day.
Ilcha has enjoyed critical acclaim in its brief tenure. The Chronicle's Cesar Hernández once noted the restaurant's half-bird fried chicken for its well-seasoned meat and crackling shell from the wet dredge coating. Soleil Ho, a former critic for the same publication, celebrated Ilcha’s garlicky soy sauce-cured shrimp as indicative of a burgeoning and evolving Korean dining landscape in the Bay Area. Indeed, Ilcha was tipped onto the Chronicle’s guide to the best Korean cuisine spots not long after its opening.
While Ilcha prepares to shut off its fryers for good, the Bay Area’s passion for Korean fare continues to thrive with newcomers on the scene like Jilli, bringing the first makgeolli bar to San Francisco. 2025 saw the elevation of this trend, with Olivia Coffee & Flower in Oakland being heralded as the best new Korean cafe by Hernández.
