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Categories: Japanese, Korean, Sushi Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: Harvard SquareHarvard (Red)
"Sushi with a flare! The fishy fare is fresh, fun, and fantastic! I couldn't ask for more! The Chef is knowledgeable and provides a variety…" read more »
I come here for the bimbim bap. The kimchee stew is good too.
For a better meal, go upstairs to Shabu-Ya (owned by the same people).
I got both sushi and korean.
The "Playboy" sushi roll was really really good.
The Pork Bulgogi, less so.
The service was alright, but nothing to write home about. Weird location and a bit pricey.
SAKE SAKE SAKE BOMB!
I like this place for sake bombing, but it's gotten lamer because they don't let customers bang the tables anymore (seriously, what the hell is the point then?!).
Otherwise, this restaurant is owned by Koreans, not Japanese. I'd say their Korean dishes are better than their Japanese ones. Their sushi is OK, but the prices are a bit steep for what you get. I don't come here unless other sushi restaurants in the area aren't open.
The food is pretty mediocre here, service really isn't there, and the setting is plain.
The only reason to come here is if you are desperate for Korean food--since there is no other real competition around-
They messed up two of our orders and ended up charging us for our original order that we didn't get which was more expensive-
It's sad that they know people will come here since there is nothing else around and can pretty much serve you whatever knowing that you will lower your standards!
They only thing memorable about this place was the desserts which consisted of mochi ice cream-2 flavors and fried ice cream--I do assume they come prepackaged, however!
Shilla was one of our go-to restaurants in college. We would come in semi-formal dresses before events, when family was in town, or to celebrate a birthday. The food was pretty good though not the very best sushi. The little bowls of Korean appetizers that come out are yummy and a nice way to start the meal. The atmosphere is nice with dim lights and nice colors.
Sake bombs are also fun at Shilla though you might get some funny looks from the customers who are clearly not drinking. Because you can bring your own beer in, for a birthday party, we brought in at least two 30-packs. We thought we were so prepared and would be saving money... until the bill came out and they charged us $1.50 per beer that we brought in ourselves! Luckily, I had some liquid courage at that point and decided to negotiate our bill. I got about $50 off the bill with little fuss. The cute older woman who had helped me then gave me a hug on the way out and asked me to come back soon. How sweet!
Shilla would get four stars if it weren't for the terrible service.
Most recently, I came here on a Friday night with several friends. Despite multiple available tables, they asked us to wait. After 15 minutes, we asked if there was a reason we hadn't been seated; apparently the hostess was waiting for a large group of girls to leave. If you've been around restaurants for any amount of time (and Shilla is not a new restaurant), you should know that large groups of girls will probably sit at a table and talk indefinitely. We were finally seated at a different table.
Ordering was fairly uneventful, but our food came out in an odd order; the miso soup didn't arrive until after the sushi, and long after the salads, which should have been served at the same time as the soup. The waitress also seemed oddly annoyed when we asked for more water.
The worst part of the evening was paying our bill. We split the bill among the five of us. It took the waitress 10 minutes to pick up the cards from our table, and it then sat next to the cash register for another 20 minutes before anyone ran the cards. On top of that, as we were about to leave, the hostess approached us and actually questioned the amount we left for tip. I was not impressed.
As an additional note in response to the poster who asked what's up with all the Korean/Japanese restaurants around here: I'm a native Bostonian and lived in California for almost five years. I've seen Japanese/Korean restaurants in CA, too. And there are plenty of Bostonians who know the difference between the two (very distinct) cuisines.
Things I miss more than anything....
The old Shilla when it was next to Grendels, their food was so yummy.
Now, sadly it doesn't even compare to what it once was.
I miss the beef bulgogi and the kimchi!!!!
When they moved and reopened it was never the same, that goes for Grendels too but that's a whole other review for a different day.
Shilla, two years ago, was good.
Shilla, now, is not good.
Although I went with a big group, we had to wait more than 30 minutes for food orders, and 20 minutes more for water. Granted, the Korean food was fine [nothing out of the ordinary though], my maki was ... not tasty. Hard rice, not-fresh salmon, yesterday's shrimp tempura... :sadface:
And please... a 25% included gratuity for incredibly terrible service?
Have the Korean food if you go... and maybe pregame a little.
Unfortunately, this trip was very disappointing. :'(
Meh, very unimpressed. I went with 5 other people, and the overall consensus on our food (despite ordering their specialties) was mediocre. Add some poor service and the relatively expensive prices, and I give this only two stars.
On a side note, the waitress hilariously spilled hot soup on my friend. To be fair, she was very apologetic and gave him a free dessert.
I gave Shilla four stars just for having someone spell Bulgogi - Bulgaki as well as saying Bi bimbap should be tossed tableside? My mother in law would have slapped the hell out of this guy by the third line.
Boy I miss Philadelphia......Come on people show a little respect or go have a hamberger next time....and yes i spelled it that way on purpose jokers.
Editorial Review for Shilla Korean & Japanese Restaurant - by Citysearch Editors
The Scene
The venue has a comfortable Korean deco feel, but the kitchen turns things out too quickly. No sooner are the miso bowls raised to the lips than the main dishes begin to arrive. Prices are comparable to other Korean spots in Boston, but some of the little touches--like the bibim-bap (ground meat, shredded vegetables and fried egg) being tossed tableside--are missing, despite promises on the menu.
Look at this review below....can someone please tell american writers to not just go around spelling Korean Items as they see fit. It is really shocking at the lack of work that goes into food reviews on supposedly authentic critic websites. This is off of City Search and is a review by the editor supposedly. What a travesty.
The Food
A lot of Korean dishes, some common Japanese items, and a broad selection of sushi and sashimi. So if you're in the Square and have a hankering for kimchi (piquant fermented cabbage), bolgaki (hot spiced beef strips) or bokeum (stir-fried pork in garlic sauce), it's probably your best bet. If you want sushi and sashimi made to order, choose from the sushi menu or sit at the sushi bar; the main dish combo plates appear pre-made and are a little flat.
Four years later I make my second visit to Shilla. Went around the same time of day as visit one (yeah my memory is THAT good)...but was not solo this time. Damn. What happened to this place? Epic customer service fail. There were a few people dining but it felt like noone was working. My appetizer was gross - fried in what tasted like old old cooking oil. I finished eating and then we waited 25! minutes for Shawns rainbow roll. Check came and tip had already been added in... Total fail.
None of my New England based friends eat sushi, so I hit up Shilla solo on a random afternoon. It… Read more »
Mmmmm. This is most authentic Korean food I've had in Boston, along with Koreana in Central Square. Try the jeyook bokeum (spicy stir-fried pork with kimchi and tofu on the side), bibim naengmyun (spicy cold buckwheat noodles), or the quintessential Korean comfort food, kimchi jigae. I give it 4 stars as it's a little bit on the expensive side for me (~$13-15 for Korean entree), but pretty standard prices for Korean fare.
Shilla is probably the best source of Korean food in the Cambridge/Boston area, and many come here to get their fix for home cooking, Kalbi, etc. The restaurant is located in prime location of Harvard Square and offers a variety of Korean food along with some sushi and udon (that's the Japanese part). The food is nothing to write home about but if this is the best thing that the area's got, well, you have to lower your standards, right? Decor is typically Korean with wooden furnishings. Service is pleasant but prices are expensive.
I hope Cambridge has other Korean restaurants, because this place is not up to standard. I mean, it wasn't terrible. I ate. I got full. Shilla didn't subtract from my enjoyment in catching up with my college friend I hadn't seen in a while.
The food was just so...we ordered an appetizer of scallion pancakes and it was passable, and I get so starved for Korean food that I enjoyed it even though it was much greasier than necessary. I got chicken bulgogi for my entree and it was bland and unappetizing. The color of the meat on the plate was a weird yellow that just did not look right. I think my friend's bibimbap was better, though I tried a bite and it wasn't at all memorable.
The service is terrible. Granted, it was kind of busy, but it was like we were completely invisible. I wouldn't go back.
Two main points related to Shilla:
1. What is up with all these bad Korean/Japanese restaurants? I hate it. They do not exist in California. They're clearly Korean restaurants just trying to capitalize on the lack of Japanese choices in the area. Maybe Bostonians can't tell the difference between the cuisines? I don't know, but it's rare to find really good Japanese food at a place that's just offering the dishes on the side. In addition, they're almost always hugely overpriced.
2. Harvard Square is full of overrated restaurants. Almost all overpriced, too. I mean, there's obviously some good restaurants here, but not as many you might think. It seems they have settled on mediocre food as maybe Harvard students are afraid to venture away from their area. You know they don't go into Central.
Shilla is a Harvard Square Korean/Japanese restaurant. Large groups have 25% included gratuity (as Austin said). Nuff said.
Stick to the Korean food, forget the sushi.
We asked for a sushi deluxe platter, and the size of the nigiri was laughable (could you cut it any smaller?)
the korean food, on the other hand, was quite tasty. It'd have been nice if the waitress hadn't checked with us five times if spicy food was ok, but the dishes were overall flavorful. We got a tofu hot pot, stone bi bim bap and seafood pancakes, and everything was agreeable.
Don't fall for the overpriced Japanese beer...the menu said of a large helping, which we assumed would be a 750ml bottle. Instead, we got a 500ml can for 8 bucks!!
I give 4 stars and not 5 because of the group of 30 pretentious Harvard guys all wearing the same suit that sat next to our group and told us that "we looked like we were struggling." Struggling?? Because we're not wearing suits and talking about Astro-physics? You go to hell and you die!
Atmosphere: Relaxed, dressy or casual depending on the occasion. Great for groups. This restaurant is fairly big for a Harvard Square joint.
Service: I was there for a friend's birthday so we had a large group (20 or so). The waitress was very attentive and never got the order wrong. At the end of the night she took a sake-bomb with all of us which was cool.
Sushi: I inhaled this sushi probably because of the 4 sake bombs prior to my meal arriving...kind of a must at a birthday. The sushi was properly rolled and tasty. Dragon roll and rainbow roll are delicious.
Hit this place up if you're going out with friends. Its fun! Just get a table far away from the Hahvid kids.
My yelp is a little bias, as I went to Shilla with 2 people who lived in Korea for some time.This was the first time I've had Korean food but I did think the food was wonderful! The scallion pancakes were delicious with carrots and other veggies in the pancake.
Great place, the service was right on spot! Very polite and nearly empty for 6pm on a Saturday night we got right in.
When I asked for a table for one Sunday night just after 9pm, it seemed to echo off the walls. Last call 10pm. Hard restaurant close at 10:30pm. One part of me was like, Dang.. I'm THAT girl. But the other part of me really appreciated having the restaurant to myself after my people-filled weekend. I guess the hungry tourists saw Wagamama and stopped there before checking out this restaurant.
I was seated right away and the waiter even pulled out a chair for me to place my ginormous messenger bag. I ordered a miso soup, steamed tofu with scallions-soy sauce-nori, and two rolls of sushi. The miso soup was good, but on the warm side. It's cold outside! I need me some hot soup. Tofu was great. Steamed just right so that I could really grab large pieces of it without it separating mid-way to mouth. The sushi on the other hand was so so. At the end of the day, I realize the sushi isn't the freshest, but it tasted just alright. Their rolls are also cut into 8, which I think messes up the "perfect bites" a little bit because there were some pieces on the ends that just had fish and not the other ingredients (avocado in my case). So I say, cut pieces in 6 or add more stuff!
I do really like the space. The walls are very simple and they had light jazz playing in the background. It's also large enough that you wouldn't necessarily be in people's conversations from other tables. I also love that they didn't seat me next to the 3 other people (1 couple, another solo) that were already in there. I hate when restaurants try to mingle people at the end of the night in order to clean up. Please don't sweep while I eat (which they didn't). Eww. The waiters were very nice, with the exception of when I left and everyone disappeared slash the cashier woman didn't look up from the register when I said thank you. Okie dokie.
Honestly, I'd like to try this place again to see if the day service is better. As the last customer, I know what it's like trying to put together food that is just as good as the mid day meal, but at the same time, I'll probably take the couple extra steps to go to Takemura instead.
While I love me some sushi, I'm certainly no expert. I haven't been to the more 'authentic' (ahem, more expensive) places in town and I'm known to chomp on supermarket sushi (until one all too unfortunate experience). That said, I think Shilla's pretty darn good.
The atmosphere is laid back and fun, service is quick and attentive, beers are large and well priced. Watch out for the gaggle of Wagamama fiends blocking the hallway upstairs. If they only knew a much better dinner could be had downstairs.
Suuuuuuucks....Peeling paint insisde and outside the restaurant, the stairs that take you downstairs are perpetually filthy - think grime that not even a pressure washer would get off - and service is SLOW. BLOWS.
The food is quite authentic. So, I really can't complain. I've never tried any of the Japanese menu. Therefore, I really can't say much. The Interior is not that great, but with the limited choices of Korean food I eat at Shilla almost once a month. (but not for the Kimchee)
The price is average for Korean food. But, make sure you look at the bill, because sometimes they calculate the tip for you, (maybe because a lot of Korean people are not accustomed to tipping manners? But, they did that for our bill (twice). )
Tuk-booki is not an appetizer! It's for 2 people and it's a ginormous appetizer. It's tasty but make sure you're really hungry!
I read the reviews on Yelp before I went so I wasn't expecting too much since the reviews were mediocre. And since I wasn't expecting over the top yumminess, I was pleasantly surprised!
Paul I had said stick to the Korean and I usually do that when I go to a Korean restaurant. Never got the Korean/Japanese restaurants since they are both such different cuisine, as much as I like both.
Back to Shilla, we went fairly early for dinner around 6 so it was not very crowded. Service was good. I had the a fish stew and my friend the pipim ppap. both were fairly good. again, no high expectations so maybe we were sort of caught off guard when it was not bad.
Bill was a little on the higher side, two main dish, one app and one beer was around $60 including tip, although it looks alot like a family restaurant, dont let it fool you. Also wished they would bring out more of those lovely korean side dishes.
I used to love Shilla before I became acquainted with Japanese food that is, well, better. Simply put, there are better places to go in the Boston area if you're looking for authentic sushi. I've never tried the Korean food, but if you're in Cambridge and looking for a Japanese restaurant, this is a good bet.
The servers are not always helpful -- I've been there later at night a few times, and they've hung out in the back, requiring an effort to get their attention. However, the sushi chefs are great and usually make you special little samples if you're seated at the bar.
Skip the japanese. Stick to korean.
I got the sashimi bibim-bap and was more disappointed in a dish than I've been in a while. The cuts of sashimi were the worst I've had, full of fat and difficult to chew. The fake crab was the only part I considered edible.
Worst of all, this shitty meal also cost me $19.
Meanwhile, my girl really enjoyed her korean noodle dish, though for noodles and vegetables, the $14 cost seemed a little outrageous.
2.5 stars.
I have to agree with Paul below. Stick to the Korean menu. We had some spicy tuna maki rolls for appetizers but they were pretty bland.
If you like edamame, order it here. The portion is huge. I recommend the Pork-Kimchee Bokeum (stir-fried pork in a spicy garlic sauce) and the pot-cooked dinners. Avoid the Chicken Bulgogi as it is boring, bland and dry.
The service is sweet but flaky. I ordered mineral water but was given green tea. Other things we ordered seemed to arrive out of sequence. or not at all.
Am I the only one that thinks having a combo Korean-Japanese restaurant is weird? I gues it's a New England thang because I've never seen that anywhere else before!
Okay, so I was in the neighborhood and decided to give it a try. I was solo, so I only could try one dish, so I ordered the soon doobu jeega. Soft tofu stew, nice and spicy! I gotta admit, it was pretty good! The stew was all bubbly and the tofu still in big chunks and tasty! The only disappoinment was ban chan, the little dishes they give you for "free" with your meal, I only got like 5 and they weren't great.
I can't speak to the Japanese/sushi here since I didn't try any but honestly I do not think i would go to a restaurant run by Koreans and eat sushi!
I think it was decent enough Korean food, but again, I only was able to try one dish and that one was good!
Skip Shilla and go to Takemura instead (it's just around the corner!).
My friend and I went for dinner and the food made her sick the next day. We're talking non-stop vomiting for 24 hours.
I thankfully did not get sick (I got some Korean dish that had like 6 little bowls of different ingredients and you had to mix it all together to make your own dish), but I did not like the food. It was bland and lukewarm at best.
The restaurant is located in a basement and the inside of it does nothing to escape the "basement" feel. It's dark and not very well ventilated.
I've only gone there once, but for me, it was once too many. Ick!
Shilla is my favorite place for "modern" sort of sushi, with unusual and creative combinations of ingredients, and especially sauces. Not terribly authentic as sushi goes, but tasty and totally comfort food for me. My favorite favorite thing there (besides the free goodies at the bar) is the Playboy maki: pricey, but simply heaven on a a platter. All of the other sushi I've had has been fresh and tasty, and I've been going there now and then since 2001.
I haven't tried anything else on the menu, except the stuffed zucchini appetizer, which took forever but tasted good.
The service is sometimes a little indifferent, especially at the bar where they tend to forget about you. But this is totally offset by the warm, cozy atmosphere: especially in the winter, you'll really appreciate the twinkling lights, rich wood everywhere, and complete lack of drafts.
Even though the dress code is casual, price is not so casual. However, I am purely Japanese and I miss sticky rice much. The Yukke Bibinpa was great!
I know I am Japanese but I didn't try Sushi and any other Japanese food because the restaurant's main food and owner ( i guess) are Korean.
Oh this restaurant's miso soup tastes same as Japanese one.
Have you ever been with a group of friends who you drag along to some crazy restaurant that isn't Applebee's? Everyone at the table kind of stared at me, lost and forlorn in the pages of this book titled Shilla's menu. So basically I ordered for all 6 of us and everyone seemed happy with their dish (or didn't want to piss me off).
For being the only Korean/Japanese restaurant in Harvard Square, it's a great place to have a bite of sushi or a sizzling platter of bulgoki but it's definitely very average if you widen the scale to encompass the greater Boston area.
It's open late and while I've never tried the sushi here, the Korean food is pretty decent (not like my mom's...nowhere close). Great for groups and sake bombing.
Ambiance: Better than your average decor, Shilla is located underneath a flight of stairs with no windows.
Food: I can only speak about the Korean food at Shilla. The food here is okay but not impressive. This place has given us 3 or 4 pancha dishes for lunch. One time, we only got ice water but another time, we were offered barley tea. Mmm... I usually order their soon du bu jiggae. It was alright but not fantastic. There is a lack of seafood and the portion is not huge. I also tried their seafood teriyaki lunch boxes. It comes with a dumpling, which is obviously store bought. The shrimp shumai were also the tiny kind that you can buy from any Chinese grocery store. There were also 2 California rolls, salad, and miso soup.
Overall: It's alright, but the food is just okay.
Okay, so this place isn't neccessarily the best place to go for Japanese/Korean in Boston. The decor has nothing lacking, but there isn't anything special about it either.
However, while the Japanese entrees are just ok, the Korean choices are extremely tasty. Although the sushi here is nothing special (but not bad at all either), the beef bulgogi literally melts in your mouth (in the way only very tenderly cooked meats can). Try it!!! :)
It is mostly the staff here that made my visits to Shilla so good. The guy (self-appointed "Sake Bomb Master") who apparently trained at the "Sake Institute" (?) is hilarious, and when they not only put up with our OTT sake-bombing antics but actually joined in the sake-bombing, the merriment was boundless. The free mochi ice cream at the end didn't hurt either. The only ouch-factor was when we got the bill, which was higher than I had expected (but then maybe our group just drank more than we realized, which is a very likely possibility..)
Located in Harvard Square, Shilla offers affordable and tasty sushi. It's not as cheap as many places you could get sushi but the quality is noticably better.
I can't really speak about the fish because I am a vegan but my boyfriend and friends who are carnivores also love it. For vegetarians I suggest their Avocado-Kanpyo maki (that's avocado and pickled squash!) and their tofu dinner dishes.
Also they have pretty nice decor. The wall are nicely detailed with wooden paneling and screens.
Never had their Korean food, because I'm ferociously loyal to Seoul Food, which has the best Korean food anywhere on the east coast, unless you have a Korean mother at home who can cook.
But Shilla has decent sushi. Not the best I've ever had, but solidly good. And their atmosphere is casual and spacious, the staff are friendly and helpful. I only ever get vegetarian sushi, and I do miss Inari (tofu wrapped around rice) but other than that they've got all my favorites, and they do them all well. The Ume Shisu (plum paste) and the one with avocado and cucumber are two of my faves.
This place and food stinks with a passion. I feel bad that the waitresses have to serve the plates that come out of the kitchen. I did not mind the look of the place itself but why go eat at a place when the food is not edible and ridiculously high prices for what you are getting. I will never come back here for Korean or Japanese food. You would think that because the restaurant is located in the middle of Harvard Square; it would be decent but definitely not. The food is well below par standards. It gives Korean and sushi a bad name. We ordered Beef Bulgoki, Chicken Bulgoki, Bibim Naeng-Myon, Salmon Maki, and Boston Maki. ...and I want my $75 back.
Great place for college kids to go sake bombing! Easily accomodates large groups, which can make the restaurant noisy at times.
Delicious fancy maki rolls... especially "The Playboy" (even at around $13 it is worth the money because it is large enough to split with a few friends!)
Was a bit disappointed at the bento box for lunch - while the california roll was exactly as expected, the bulgogi was watery and not very sweet. Hot food, but not the best I've had, but it was cheap.
I'm a pretty big fan of Korean Japanese fusion restaurants and it's nice that there is one in Boston that's comparable to the place that made me love sushi in Newport.
I really enjoy the quaint atmosphere here and the service is decent enough although sometimes you get these clueless younger looking asian guys working there that I find adorable but think could use some help with their serving skills. It tends to get a little pricey for my art school budget but on the rare instance that I have maybe $20-30 to splurge on a good meal, I'll come here for their sashimi Bi Bim Bap. The spicy Korean sauce is killer and the quality of the fish is some of the best I've tasted for the price. Their hot korean dishes are also fantastic like their Bugogi. The sake list is pretty good but I don't know sake all too well so don't take my word for it.
Music wise, they play some bizarre Korean pop that sounds kind of like the Backstreet Boys. The place I used to work at did the same thing only because the owners had horrid music taste and were getting suggestions from this Japanophile friend of theirs who came in one day with a CD book full of Hikaru Utada. I had Boys and Girls stuck in my head for months.
But enough with my tangents, go check this place out!
"Such a thing is unthinkable," he said. "Call it what you will, but it is not a Japanese restaurant."
Toshikatsu Matsuoka Japanese Minister of Agriculture
in reference to:
"something he considered a high culinary crime -- sushi served on the same menu as Korean-style barbecued beef." (*)
Not that I favor Matsuoka-san and his ilk spying on restaurants abroad and trying to impose cultural norms like the French have with wine and cheese. The line must be drawn somewhere, say Thai resaturants serving sushi, but I like most of the Korean sushi I have had. I like Shilla and I have eaten more sushi than Korean food here. It is Korean-Sushi though.
http://www.washingtonp...
Neighborhood: Harvard Square
Category: Japanese
Neighborhood: Harvard Square
Category: Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Harvard Square
Category: Japanese
Somerville, MA
Category: Korean
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