ilili

Reviews

• Jonghan L.

  star star star star star 10 July 2026

  Great dining experience and Mediterranean food! You usually don't expect Mediterranean to be really classy, but boy do the guys at ilili elevate Mediterranean food to a whole new level. Came here on a Saturday with three at 1pm, and the restaurant was semi-full but we managed to get a seat as a walk in. We ordered a bunch of tapas/mezzes, including hummus, brussel sprouts, sausage, octopus, beef tartare.
  
  AMBIANCE:
  Classy, lots of space inside. Decor is definitely a great place to impress, or bring a date. Could be pretty dressy
  
  PROS:
  Love the hummus, great consistency and balance of nuts, creaminess, seasoning, and olive oil. Pairs incredibly well with their pita bread, which was really fluffy and aromatic. Probably some of the best pita bread I've had in the city. Pita pairs really well with the beef tartare that we got, and the beef tartare was seasoned really well and comes with lots of jalapenos and onions.
  
  As for the tapas, octopus was really really tender! Charred really well. I was afraid that they were going to overcook the octopus since its such a hard protein to cook, but these guys charred it to a nice texture where the inside was still moist and soft to eat. Puree that the octopus sat on was a good creamy texture with good seasoning. A+ for making such a good octopus. Really also liked the brussel sprouts that we got, and it comes with a lot of fruits in it so was really refreshing and balances with the other items that we got.
  
  Sausage was pretty good as well, it's a pretty standard sausage in a cast iron plate, so its hard to go wrong with it. Sausage was really tender.
  
  We also got drinks - I got a old fashioned with Maker's Mark, and that was fantastically made and was really smooth to drink. One of my friends got a martini and she really enjoyed her drink.  
  
  Service was great. No complaints here. Our server went through the menu really diligently with us. Really appreciated that.
  
  OVERALL:
  Would come back here hungry for more solid, delicious, Mediterranean food!

• Justine J.

  star star star star star 9 July 2026

  One of the most amazing Mediterranean dining experiences I have had.  We came here for brunch... and I almost never like brunch but I loved it here!
  
  Started off with complimentary fresh scones (which I grew up my entire life thinking I didn't like) with apricot preserve... yum!
  
  Grapefruit juice.. freshly squeezed? Because it is one of the best. Pomegranate cava/mimosa was okay for me... it was medicinal to me but I am not much of a mimosa/bellini drinker.
  
  My brother and I got the lamb burger which was delicious. The buns were very fluffy and this may be one of the only burgers besides In-n-Out where I ate the entire burger including the buns. I chose lamb sausages as my side and loved it. It was very lemony... but that's what I loved about it whereas my two siblings did not. My brother got veal bacon which was very much like brisket... very delicious!
  
  My sister got truffled poached eggs. I do not like poached eggs but she ate it all so must be delicious if you like poached eggs and truffle!

• Lynn V.

  star star star star star_border 8 July 2026

  Had a delicious meal here on Saturday. My friend and I arrived slightly early for our reservation and were directed to wait in the lounge area. I thought this odd as the dining room wasn't remotely full. A very nice cocktail waitress checked on us to see if we were planning to stay in the lounge or if we were waiting for a reservation.  
  We were seated in the dining room upstairs which was perfect-not loud, we could talk and enjoy our meal. Our waiter, Isaac, was wonderful. He helped us choose several small plates to share and a wine. I liked the Brussels sprouts best. We were also brought fresh pita without asking for it when our first basket was empty.
  It is a more expensive, formal venue- but good for a special meal, not a casual dinner. I am not an expert in this type of cuisine but I enjoyed everything we ordered and would return for the good service.
  Just an FYI, the restroom is unisex- large room with several private stalls. Some people hate this set up so I figured I would mention it.

• Zane F.

  star star star star_border star_border 19 June 2026

  I really wanted to love ilili but there are several reasons why I couldn't:
  1. The ambiance is very formal. The setting is only fitting for a business meeting. It does not strike me as a place to hang out with friends, or bring a date.
  2. It is very expensive. I know coming in it's not a budget friendly place but there are no options for the entrees with lower prices except the pasta.
  3. The knafeh was not good at all!
  
  I did love the fattoush, and the cheese rolls. Everything else was ok.

• Prianka S.

  star star star star star 18 June 2026

  This place was so good! I got the duck shawarma and the mixed plate which came with chicken kabobs and lamb chops and the garlic whip. Everything was so tasty and the service was really great too. Make sure to dress up! This place is pretty fancy. Loved the ambiance inside too