Ilpoom — Restaurant in Livingston

This is a typical example of Korean/Japanese fusion restaurant gone wrong. We came here for lunch during soft opening, hoping to try out authentic Korean food. But we were surprised that there is a pretty extensive sushi/sashimi/specialty rolls selection on the menu; so we decided to try the sashimi as well. In all 4 of us tried a lot of food, $200+ worth to be soecific. So here is what went wrong.

Sashimi was not fresh. Uni was the worst, it had a weird taste. Yellowtail, red snapper, and fluke were all stale and tasted like rubber. Definitely not very fresh. The Hamachi Kama (grilled yellowtail collar) was over/grilled on the outside and undercooked with blood inside. Obviously grilled by a novice. Why was there an extensive sushi/sashimi/rolls on the menu of a supposedly creative Korean restaurant? Well because those command more money. So my suggestion to Ilpoom is that, if you want to add Japanese component to the menu and charge more, at least make sure you procure the freshest fish and make sure to cook it right.

The Korean stuff, such as the BBQ spicy pork, beef and rib, all tasted similar with the marinated sweetened flavor. One could find similarly tasting meats (already marinated for you) at H-Mart. So our take on these BBQ dishes were that they were pre-made supermarket ingredients. There was nothing creative about it.

The side/small dishes of kimchi were bad. It was mustard cabbage, less the fermented spicy and tangy taste typical to an authentic kimchi; very bland and tasteless. I don't know whether if this was homemade or H-Mart bought. But please don't serve this again.

Service wise, the staff and head chef were very friendly and helpful. There was some confusion about the number of pieces of sashimi per order, so they offered to give us more pieces at no additional charge. The Hamachi Kama had to be Re-cooked, they didn't charge us for it. The chef kindly gave us 4 extra marinated salmon over rice, which was a nice gesture.

Setting and atmosphere wise, the furniture is new and modern. The table cloth was too big for our round table, and it draped on the floor a bit too much. Restroom didn't seem like it was renovated (or maybe it was lightly touched up) from the previous ownership.

In summary, despite the friendly staff and the tagline of being creative Korean restaurant, I find Ilpoom needing to do plenty more to improve...

As a Korean couple who has explored countless Korean restaurants throughout our lives, our expectations were high when we decided to celebrate our wedding anniversary at Ilpoom. Despite living in Korea and in areas with a significant Korean population, this dining experience was decent and not-so-good in certain ways.

Despite a challenging start with an unexpected funeral requiring my wife's attendance in upstate New York, we were determined to keep our reservation at Ilpoom. I called ahead to explain our situation, hoping for understanding, but the initial response was dishearteningly cold. However, a second conversation with a more compassionate staff member informed us they’ll try to accommodate us if possible.

Arriving just in time for our reservation, we were greeted by an inviting ambiance, although marred by uncomfortably high temperatures. The decor, while aesthetically pleasing with flower decorations, also felt slightly tacky.

Appetizers: Jumbo softshell crab tempura: 1.5/5 Ponzu Hamachi jalapeño: 2/5

Our culinary journey began with high hopes, only to be dampened by lackluster appetizers. The jumbo softshell crab tempura was disappointingly fishy and poorly cleaned, leaving a bitter taste in our mouths. Similarly, the Ponzu Hamachi jalapeño lacked freshness, requiring to use additional soy sauce and wasabi to mask its off-flavors.

Sushi rolls: Spicy red snapper roll: 4.5/5 French kiss roll: 4/5 Valentine tuna belly special roll: 4.5/5

Korean main dish: Braised beef short rib (galbi jjim): 3/5

Fortunately, the sushi rolls redeemed our meal, with its flavors and reasonable cost. However, the Korean main dish, the braised beef short rib (galbi jjim), fell short of expectations. Taste was just okay, meat not as tender and portion size was small, considering its hefty price tag of $59. It was definitely a disappointment.

Desserts: Black sesame ice mochi: 2/5 Hotteok ice cream: 4/5

Dessert offered a mixed bag of experiences. While the black sesame mochi failed to impress with its store-bought quality, the hotteok ice cream brought a nostalgic delight, despite it being over priced.

Overall Food Presentation: 4.5/5

While Ilpoom may not have met all our expectations, we were pleased to leave with happy memories with each other and...

Ilpoom – Livingston, NJ: A No-Nonsense Tour Through Korea’s Greatest Hits

If you’re looking for some sanitized, Americanized version of sushi and Korean food—the kind that plays it safe, afraid to offend suburban palates—Ilpoom isn’t your place. But if you’re after a meal that actually respects the roots of what makes Korean and Japanese cuisine great, then pull up a chair.

Ilpoom operates in that sweet spot between casual and refined. The kind of place where you can show up in a hoodie or a button-down and feel equally at home. It’s not one of those flashy, neon-lit, Instagram-bait sushi spots that churn out rainbow rolls and cheap spicy tuna doused in mayo. No, here, the sushi is fresh, restrained, and confident—served the way it should be, without unnecessary gimmicks. The fish actually tastes like the ocean, and the rice is properly seasoned, a balance of vinegar and texture that too many places get wrong.

But where Ilpoom really shines is its Korean menu. This isn’t just an afterthought tacked on for variety; it’s the heart of the operation. The galbijjim—braised short ribs—come out glistening in their deep, soy-and-sugar lacquer, falling apart at the mere suggestion of a chopstick. The kimchi jjigae? A bubbling, red-hot cauldron of spice and fermentation, the kind of dish that punches you in the mouth with heat before wrapping you in a warm, umami-rich embrace.

Then there’s the haemul pajeon—a seafood scallion pancake that arrives golden and crisp, edges just lacy enough to prove someone in the kitchen actually gives a damn. Paired with a side of makgeolli, the lightly sparkling rice wine that too few places bother to serve, it’s a reminder that great food isn’t about over-complication. It’s about tradition, execution, and respect for ingredients.

Ilpoom isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. It doesn’t need to. It just does things right—clean cuts of sashimi, deep flavors in its stews, and an atmosphere that makes you want to linger. And honestly, that’s more...