Shilla Bakery
7039 Little River Tpke, Annandale, VA, 22003
Shilla Bakery Menu
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Address :
7039 Little River Tpke
Annandale, VA, 22003 - Phone (703) 333-2001
- Website https://www.shillabakeryusa.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 11:00pm
Specialities
- Delivery : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Good for Working : Yes
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Ali B.
Good bakery, variety of goodies with meat, cheese, vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, sweets, sour, good for breakfast, snacks, chill place to hangout, always busy. Prices are more reasonable than the other bakeries around the area and more variations. Only disadvantage is the noise level, I came early at 9:00 to read on a weekday morning it louder than expected. Still love this place, don't miss out their cold beverages and expression, they're all 4 stars
(4)Hai H.
Came here with my wife to get frozen yogurt and just 10 minutes before closing, they said they were closed. For crying out loud, if you guys need to close early then turn off the closing sign so people would know. It's not hard to serve a frozen yogurt that takes only one minute. I feel sorry for the owner who hired these idiots who are not improving the business. Well... Breeze bakery would be my next stop.
(1)Priscilla H.
The boba doesn't get any better. Shilla's Bakery has the best strawberry boba in the Annandale/ Northern Metro Area. I personally prefer boba that tastes fruity instead of powdery. I don't know if Shilla uses real fruit in their smoothies but I must say they are DELISH and you much try if you haven't. I always go for the strawberry boba... but I heard their other flavors are good too. I probably go here once a week. I recommend their mango & strawberry mousse cakes, super moist, not too sweet, soft, and tastes really fresh. I worked at Breeze Bakery down the street for a summer, and I must say, Shilla definitely has me with their boba, bread selections, and wide selection of macaroons! I definitely recommend this place if your in the area and looking for a good asian eat!
(4)Jenny S.
Shilla is one of the more popular Korean bakeries in the area, but I really dont see what all the buzz is about... Baskets are lined throughout the shelves of the bakery and inside filled with so many treats, plenty of options for everyone. The tags now have a simple English translation of what the pastry is, which is huge since I remember years ago you just had to take a chance since you didn't know what was inside if you weren't Korean and couldn't read the tag. The Bingoo is so large, you have to share. Their cakes are so cute and colorful in the display windows, it makes you want to order a giant cake just for yourself. The bubble tea and individual sized dessert cakes and mousse are usually pretty tasty. The maroons are terrible. You can tell that they have been sitting out all day so the outside crust gets hard and since it's right next to the cold desserts, the temperature adds to their stale outside. One thing to note is that obviously Koreans know how to make everything cute and adorable, even their pastries! But just because the little sucker looks appetizing, does not mean it's so tasty. For example, I bought a pineapple pound cake, very simple description. But once you bite into it, it is simply a dry out pound cake with 3 canned pineapple slices on top; not even any actual pineapple flavoring inside the cake. It was lame.... This place is a bit overpriced and there are so many better desserts shops around to satify your sweet tooth. You'll only find me here if a friend drags me, not on my own free will though.
(2)Miss Maggie C.
Came into this super busy bakery today. They had a lot of samples, but none really impressed my taste buds so I didn't end up getting any. All their cakes on display looked so cute and delicious though. I was so excited to see they had macarons, and that they were cheap! $1.25 per macaron. I got the passion fruit, the pistachio, and two other flavors that now escape my mind. These macarons were cheap for a reason, they were pretty terrible. The flavor was bland, so much that I couldn't tell what flavors they were. They were crumbly, with too much cookie and too little filling. If I were to stop by here again, I'd try the desserts or the shaved ice. The prices here are pretty steep, $5 for a boba drink.
(2)Nasir A.
I would have given this place 5 stars but the attitude of the staff was so poor that I took away one star. They have plenty of samples to try. Food looks and taste great.
(4)Le L.
I do not like it how they have the time limit of 2 hours for customers to stay now. What if I want to stay there longer to catch up with an old friend or something. Do not have time limit or else I would prefer going to other places. The only reasons I keep coming back is their bingshoo. I would have to admit that their bingshoo is so much better than Breeze, I honestly don't know why. The services were bad when I came here last friday. The cashier just asked me "what do you want" in a rude voice. Shouldn't they be asking " Ma'am, how can I help you?"
(3)Kimmy L.
Not to be a traitor to my people, but I love Korean bubble tea way more than Vietnamese bubble tea. I swear there is a difference in taste. The Korean version are slightly bigger and more tart, whereas the Vietnamese version tastes bland to me and tend to stick together more. This place has SOOOOO many different flavors to choose from! From coffee/tea based to fruit based I am never disappointed! So far I have tried their Peach, Strawberry, Mango & Chai bubble teas and they have all been wonderful. I do wish that the lids were put on using the plastic machines that Vietnamese establishments use but other than that, this is my go to when I am craving a frozen drink. My cousin bought me a birthday cake from here last year and it was really good - light, chocolatey, and moist! I think this place is a little pricey for their bubble teas though, at $5 a pop, I pay $4 in dupont and between $3-4 in Eden center.
(4)Helen Z.
Good bingsoo in a variety of flavors, the Asian style breads are always yummy and plentiful. I like the red bean bread that they make. They also have a great variety of cakes and drinks, including bubble tea, if you are into bubble teas. I'm giving it four stars and not five, because of its sitting area, which could be made more stylish and comfortable, and the high level of noise in there every time I go.
(4)Heidi L.
I used to go there once in a while but once I visited there most recently, I realized that their light and layout of the bakery goods looked not so tempting at all. The atmosphere changed and nowadays I see more non-Koreans than Koreans. However there is something that never changed; this place is never quiet
(3)Khoi U.
If you lived in Northern Virginia or visiting, I would highly suggest that you visit this place in Annandale. This place serves a variety of pastries and asian drinks that you can name of. Their food and drink is good a bit pricey though but I dont mind I would recommend this place if your taking a girl out Overall its a good place to chill I guess....
(5)JunJow C.
Overall great little bakery. They are normally generous with samples. If you love baked goods that aren't too sweet, this is the place to go. Cakes are a little overpriced though.
(4)Ian F.
When rating the bakeries in Annandale, I would say there are a few criteria: 1. Baked Goods 2. Drinks 3. Good hangout spot? Personally, I think the baked goods here are great. Try the most basic of basic Shu Cream pastry. Its simple, and very good. I am also able to get my favorite drink of all time here. Their Black Milk Tea Smoothie is amazing. The only knock I have on Shilla is that it is not the best hangout spot as its a bit smaller than the other bakeries, and does not have as much seating.
(4)C S.
Love the boboa tea and bing soo! Many different flavors to choose from. My husband hilariously compared his pineapple boboa to a rock creek soda and the comparison is dead on! Make sure you eat your Bing soo there if you have the time other wise you won't even get half of what you're paying for in the container to go.
(5)Khalid S.
Was looking for bubble tea with the homegirl, found this gem on yelp. Even though I passed by this place for years, I've never been inside until now. Packed with pastries and specialty cakes and sugary sweets. Bubble teas are all blended, which is frozen but taste really good.
(4)Matthew S.
After living in Asia the last few years I already have an addiction to their amazing bakeries(mainly Japan and Korea) after moving here and finding this place it definitely scratched that itch. Items made with precision and care that I have come to expect. The buttercream filled bread is my favorite. Not to mention all the lovely breads, pastries, and cakes.
(5)Eugene K.
Their fresh korean baked goods are delicious. Go there. Salad was fresh and their ginger sesame dressing went with the freshness very well. Customer service was excellent. Other reviewers may cite fluency problems but they more than make up for it with efficiency and deliciousness.
(5)Dean R.
Great bakery and coffee shop and sandwich shop - the baked goods are spot on - reasonably priced and fresh - the coffee is great fresh brewed and hot - the lunch sandwiches are spot on and you should not miss - if you are in Annandale (also known as Ktown) stop in and enjoy - they also have free wifi
(5)Sunny H.
Absolutely love the almond cream filled pastry here.. I a fat girl at heart so love anything carb. LOL. You cant go wrong with any of the pastries including the bing soo. So delish!!! They have a sitting area which in my opinion is perfect for a quick get together with an old friend or to have coffee after dinner at any one of the near by korean restaurants. I'm giving it three stars because the layout of the place. Its always filled with people (no matter what time of day) which makes it hard to manuver around to select your pastries. There is also no formal "line starts here" set up so people just stand wherever which is a bit annoying.
(3)Cuong T.
+: -Their pastries are delicious -Their Bingsoo is tastes pretty good (variety of ingredients) -Free samples galore -: -Their Bingsoo isn't proportional (too much ice, almost zero mochi pieces (rice cakes), more ice than actual flavorful ingredients) -The
(3)Nikki R.
Zero stars. Come here if you're desperate for poor customer service and to waste your time.
(1)Tinovia U.
A colleague just returned from this spot with a chocolate croissant, especially for me and I declined upon her first offer, but finally accepted it upon her insistence. BABY!!!! It was melt in my mouth delicious! I was overcome with a sense of guilt and shame for enjoying something that most only view as a dessert. From a baker, about a bakery---this place is a must try. I promise that you'll be glad you did!
(4)Heather G.
I have worked in this area for the last year and all of a sudden this gem became visible to me. Shilla Bakery is a bread lover's heaven. They offer a sample of almost everything they bake. If you are balling on a budget, you could easily get full just by walking around the storefront. However, even if funds are tight, the prices are very decent. Please, please don't be NASTY and sample the pieces with your fingers. Toothpicks are located throughout the area, so there is never a reason to be unsanitary. Seriously. Back to the goods, the selection is plentiful and the bread is really good. From donuts to pizza, if it is considered bread then they have something for you. In addition to baked goods, you can order yogurt, shaved ice, coffee, or tea. Parking is plentiful as it is located in a shopping center, next to Popeye's. Shilla has a constant flow of patrons which to me is a good sign considering we now live in a low-carb world.
(4)Haeyon L.
Shilla bakery is a cute little building surrounded by a larger complex around it. We went there right after a late dinner, hoping to buy a ton of awesome pastries, but we were met with empty trays on all the counters except for a few. The only thing that looked decent (and from the sample, tasted pretty good too), was the sweet potato bread loaf. I thought I would spent at least 20$ on pastries but sadly, that was the only purchase I made. When we were leaving, I saw a bunch of people have the bingsoo and it looked AMAZING. I am so sad that I didn't get it while I was there
(3)Donald P.
Still good, but with all the other alternatives out there, Shilla just seems pretty average now. They still have lots to sample, so you can find exactly what you want, but so does lots of other places.
(3)Cara C.
You can go here for hot food too! What's that? This is a dessert place, you say?! Well, clearly, you've never tried the justly celebrated jalapeno bread! It's chewy and has a pleasant sweetness to it, while the half-moon slices of jalapeno dotting this lovely loaf set off little bonfires all over your mouth. For someone with a sweet AND hot tooth, this is perfect! Not sure what to get the kids? Try the strawberry cream-filled bun (a hit with my little cousins... if you can get the adults to keep their hands off them). Or try the pistachio macarons for the adults -- they're the best of all the macarons. fyi, there's a $10 credit card minimum, and if you spend a little, they will often throw in a freebie bread of the day. ps, the Thai iced tea with boba is so so good.
(4)V L.
First of all, the customer service is terrible. The employees are RUDE! I have been here about a dozen times and EVERY time, the Korean staff is just so rude! The only staff member who actually smiled was the Hispanic lady who brought out our Bing Soo and Boba from the kitchen. Maybe they should bring her out front and shove the rude staff into the kitchen! Is it a Korean cultural thing to treat your customers like they're bothering you?! Their sweets are very tasty and there are many samples around the little store. Too bad, the staff's abysmal attitude outweigh their delicious products! I dont love the sweets there that much to visit this place that often. There are other Korean bakeries to check out.
(2)James M.
Really good korean pastries! The melon bread is the best I've had out of all the bakeries I've been to.
(4)John S.
The parking is kind of tight in front of the store but if you park around the side the parking is much better. As for the food, I think its pretty good. They have a variety of bread, cakes, ice shavings, and others that pretty much guarantees you are going to find something you would like. The store is clean and is a great place to eat and relax in. I take off one star because of their dine in policy which states you can only stay for a maximum of 2 hours. While I have never stayed for 2 hours and most likely wont, I like to have the option to be able to do so.
(4)Mirela T.
This place never disappoints. I've been here several times and have always enjoyed my experience. The place is always buzzing with people. That must mean this place is the bomb! Last night tried their Thai Tea Latte for the first time, it was very good. It's very similar to Thai Iced Tea, but HOT. I enjoyed it. Also, the Shilla Pound Cake and that was delicious as well, it went great with the tea. Overall i enjoyed my time at Shilla with friends chatting away. The atmosphere allows that and i'd recommend this place to all who have a sweet tooth. :)
(4)Nadia A.
I wasn't impressed with this place. I got a peppermint mocha which was good. But the place is small and it gets crowded fast. The cashier wasn't that friendly and couldn't give me details when I asked questions regarding the menu.
(3)Cristopolis D.
*** Vegeterian Review *** I came in for a light brunch with my wife and 3 month old. The ambience is wonderful and there is a mom and pop shop feel to the place. The pastries and breads look fabulous and there is a nice assortment of sandwiches and paninis on the menu. I ordered the Veggie Panini and it was incredible! It tasted really fresh! It included roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, avocado, zucchini and a tangy dressing. The coffee is good too. Definitely coming back soon!
(4)Kuen L.
Oh Shilla, how many times have I been here.. It's gotten over crowded and hard to find seats especially if you come in a big group. I've had their cakes a while back and never like them. Presentation is nice but I could only eat one bite. I always get bingsoos when I come here, love the strawberry and the greentea bingsoos. Customer service is usually not that great here.
(3)W W.
It's the best Korean bakery in the DMV area. Of course, L.A. has it better, but that's an unfair comparison.
(4)Eric N.
So what happens when you're not in NYC's Chinatowns in Manhattan or Queens and Eden Center in Falls Church seems to lack some things? You come to Annandale for Shilla! Sure its Korean but eh close enough. I've been here on and off for years, but have been twice in the past week rediscovering my sweet tooth. The Chinese Date tea here is delicious, not too sweet and has pieces of date in it. The baked goods are also delicious, especially the cream filled ones, which also won't set you back much at all. Get the pizza breads here too! They also have lots of free samples here, usually fresh right when they finish baking them. Get at them fast though otherwise they run out!
(5)Jeanine N.
I would give them 4.5 stars. The baking goods are consistently delicious, soft, fresh, and not too sweet. I also love the frozen yogurt and green tea bingsoo. However, when this place is packed, they seem like neglect the customer services. Otherwise, it's my favorite place in town. If you come when they just bring out the pastries or cake, you will have a lot of samples.
(5)Brian M.
I have been coming to this place for years. I am sure there are other options and some are probably better. However, this is where I have come and probably always will. Their yogur is average and their coffee is ok. The Illy coffee is usually a great cup but they use k-cups so if you get a small its really strong and if you get a large it is slightly weak. So the trick is just order medium (even if you just wanted a small amount). For me its the bread or the bingsoo (my wife's favorite). I love their custard filled bread and a nice hot cup of tea. I usually end up getting a few extra pieces of different desert bread for the trip home. The bingsoo (shaved ice) is something my wife orders everytime and its enough to share with multiple people. The bread here is good and worth a stop in for!
(4)Lavender L.
Ohhh...a yummy find! Love the samples b/c otherwise would likely never try the array of flavors and not disappointed about what u shouldn't have gotten. Can not say it was all to my tasting, but I did find a few nice things..enough to go back for sure! They don't bug u if u want to just sit and chat for a long time. The fresh goodies just kept flowing in..a popular cafe for sure!
(3)Jenn H.
Shilla shilla shilla. Why are there no asian bakeries in the area? I feel like some part of me is dying. Luckily Shilla is there to save me, in case I ever need asian pastries so badly that I'm willing to pay $$$ for a tiny bun. I'm not a huge fan of their pastries, in general--they're a tad too buttery/oily (the place I frequent back home is much more light and delicate, the way I like)--but they're good. I do enjoy their green tea bingsoo--green tea ice cream and rice cake thingers and red bean with ice and plenty of condensed milk--but unfortunately it's a tad too expensive, and I'm not a fan of crunchy ice. Truth be told though, I've never had the fluffy, snow-like ice in my shaved ice anywhere on the east coast--so I suppose I can't be too picky. Anyways, decent pastries, decent bingsoo, a tad pricey, but the only option? I think 3 is about right.
(3)Jami B.
One word... tiramisu! So good I thought I would die of happy! Get one for every birthday, holiday and every now and then just because I want it.
(5)Duane D.
Driving around the Northern Virginia area if you ever have a chance to stop in to this part of the Annandale area you'll notice the diversity in cuisine options from Spanish, to Italian, and Korean restaurants and markets around this strip of road known as Little River Turnpike. Toward the end of it you'll find Shilla Bakery located in a small shopping center. I went here with my girl and my cousin on this initial visit. This became a destination to check out after a friend requested they had some great pastries and awesome Bing Soo. Pastries you may be familiar with but Bing Soo? More on that later. Upon arriving at the bakery the first thing I noticed was how packed the bakery was with people. Obviously a good sign of satisfied customers and looking directly to my left and right I could see why. Various pastries abound all filled with various sweet and savory combinations. Shilla states on their website they offer a fusion of Korean and French pastries and they were all around the area. From sponge cakes, cookies, macarons, custom character cakes in the shape of cute animals like lambs and pigs, to giant Palmiers and cookies, to even a pastry known as "Mammoth" this bakery has a good variety of fresh pastries and samples of many of them to try before buying. Needless to say we picked up a variety of items including the biggest Palmier I had ever seen and a "Mammoth" which is a bread pastry filled with a layer of butter-cream and chocolate. My girl and I were both given a free pastry with our purchase which was their new items, melon bread. Upon consuming them at home we found they weren't as sweet as we thought they would be but still pleasant nonetheless. We also ordered Bing Soo at the bakery. They offer about over 10 different varieties of a dessert that can best be described as a big bowl of ice cream, shaved ice, and various fix-ins depending on your choice of flavor. I got the Coffee Bing Soo which is made of Coffee Ice Cream, Coffee Syrup, Corn Flakes, Rice Cake (Mochi), and Shaved Ice. The combination of flavors was awesome to say the least. I would've never put together corn flakes and coffee but the crunch from the flakes made the dessert even better. My girl had the Caramel Bing Soo which had Caramel Ice Cream, Shaved Ice, Caramel Syrup, Mini Cream Puffs, Mochi, and Snickers. Both were winners. If you're not in the mood for sweets they also serve sandwiches, coffee (illy brand), and various bubble (boba) teas. The visit to Shilla was a delicious one and one that made a good impression to make a return visit to anyone of their locations in the Northern Virginia or Maryland areas. I definitely will try their boba tea to see if it rivals the ones out west in Cali. So far I've yet to find any here on the East Coast that have come close. One thing is for certain you don't have to fear breaking bread at this place!
(3)Karisa D.
***** 3 1/2 Stars**** I've been going to Shila Bakery with my family for years. They seem to be popping up all over the area but this location will always have a soft spot as "my original Shilla" hehe. If you don't know, Shila is a Korean Bakery. They offer a variety of pastries, cakes, coffees, teas, and other treats. I like their pastries, particularly their Red bean and their custard pastries. They're mostly individually wrapped so you can eat the pastry all at once, or wrap it up and save it for later. Inexpensive too. Good all around.
(3)Kristine V.
Cute cute place. I love this place!!! My favorite bakery ever. They have yummy breads , cakes and ice cream. Its always full of people. Dont forget to try their boba tea too
(4)Jenya H.
Pretty good bakery in Annandale. The Bing soo is cool me down in Summer! (Love the Green tea with red bean flavor). I bought a lot of cakes here for my friends BD. Never disappoint! The cake roll is my favorite! I did tried the hot coco twice but end up with stomach up set. But I will always go there. They have a lot of snacks for us to try free. Also if you go there before they closed they will give you free snacks(left over of the day?) but yes! I love it!
(4)Rachel S.
I felt like I was in the kids movie, "Hook" when the imaginary, delectable food came to life.This place rocked my foodie world. The bread looks beautiful, is extremely artsy, colorful and creative. The beauty of the bread made me wonder if it could taste anywhere half as good as it looked. Oh yes, it did. It sure did. I was in awe as I walked around tasting the abundant supply of heavenly free samples. That's when my inner kid really came out. I kept going back for more and more. This bread is amazing! I also recommend their Korean drinks.
(5)Jo L.
Not your American bakery, instead they have it all! Korean, American, French, and fusion. This is my favorite location for selection and sampling. Yes, sampling, they have toothpicks and it is like a cocktail party. Just don't fill up! A word the wise, it is popular and crowded, for a good reason. You have a selection of breads, pastries, cakes, fancy desserts, soft server yogurt, boba tea, and BING SOO to choose from! So I suggest visiting and trying different things every time you venture over. Been there with just a friend and we have sampled each others dishes, and been in large groups and shared everything. Never a disappointment! Cakes: The pineapple, sweat potato, and cream cheese pound cakes have never failed to please. These are denser, buttery, flavorful cakes perfect with a hot beverage. Pastries: Red bean filled pastry is my personal favorite. A colleague loves the tapioca ball. Many of the pastries are too sweet for me, so the red bean filled is a happy medium with the creamy goodness of the beans toning down the overly sweet exterior. Fancy Desserts: A crowd favorite is the Opera Cake, one couple swears by the Tiramisu, and I just about like any of their chocolate creations. Most are very light, fluffy, and not overly sweet. These are better served with a nice tea. Boba Tea: While boba tea in China is served hot, with the popular being black pearl milk tea, here it is served like an icy slushy. This was breakfast for me after discovering the Taro. Taro is a potato in the sweet potato side of the family, very ugly little hairy root. This purple tuber is often used in Chinese cakes as a creamy natural sweet between layers (not found around here). Having tried green tea, black milk, watermelon, and taro, I just keep returning to taro. Mmmm, cold, icy, semi-sweet (flavor dependent), with the tapioca 'pearls' at the bottom for chewy fun. What better on a hot summer day! BING SOOOOOOOOO: The healthier alternative to Ice Cream when it is HOT HOT HOT. This is shaved ice, sound boring? Try again. Depending on what you order you can have bits of rice cake, fruit, yogurt, etc... I truly enjoy the fruit bing soo, always made with fresh, not frozen or canned, fruit. Drizzled with sweet condensed milk, the flavors melt through and still stand on their own. Very refreshing any day where it is just hot!
(4)Beck E.
Really 3.5 stars. The parking right out front of the bakery is a nightmare--the spots are cramped, and there's not a lot of space to back out and turn around when you are leaving. I recommend parking in the back. I love the strawberry cream pastry, especially given that it's only $1... but every time I've been there at night (around 7:30 pm), they're all out for the day! The selection is actually pretty sparse at night, which is understandable because the pastries probably go stale fast. The bingsoo is good, especially the yogurt bingsoo... but that's a bit on the pricey side.
(3)Minna S.
I love this bakery! There is so much variety! I come here all the time but only come for the baked goods. I haven't ordered from their menu yet, but I'm sure it's good.
(4)Elizabeth S.
I went here again after eating at Honey Pig (starting to be a habit) and we decided to stop here to show our friends. This place gets better and better. I give this more then 5+ stars because they had samples of mostly everything!!! Isn't that awesome?? We got to try this thing with chicken curry in it....boy it was amazing and warm. They also came out with a fresh cart of food and it just made the whole place smell even more heavenly. They even had someone put the pastries in the bags for us. Customer service is excellent, food is excellent. 5+ Stars!!
(5)Alicia G.
Kevin and I decided to split some bing soo. After careful deliberation (ie. should we get the green tea? the strawberry? ... the banana?...NO! the red bean...NO!)...we settled on the pineapple. See photo(s) here: yelp.com/biz_photos/Fhii… It was pretty tasty. The pineapple syrup was pineapple-y. There were pinapple pieces in there - though canned, not fresh cut. Still, I was satisfied with our choice. We got about a quarter to half way through before we decided we couldn't really figure out if the "ice cream" was actually ice cream or if it was sorbet or custard or just some creamy frozen substance. Kathleen tasted it - and then commented on how the ice part of our bing soo reminded her of yellow snow... And then Kevin and I both put our spoons down. Good thing we had already eaten about as much bing soo and pineapples as we could.
(3)Tucker H.
As far as I'm concerned, this Shilla is the standard by which all other korean bakeries in the area should be judged. If you'v never been to a korean bakery, don't expect fresh baguettes and boules of sourdough, that's not what they do. What they do, very well, is lots of semi-sweet and deliciously moist cakes, as well as buttery, almost croissant-like rolls stuffed with sweet red bean paste, green tea butter, strawberry butter, etc etc etc. They also have some tasty and crunchy cookies, but if you don't like almonds be careful, a lot of them seem to use a hint of almond extract for additional flavor. One of the really nice things about korean bakeries, and Shilla especially, is that they usually have a ton of their products out as samples, so you can taste your way around to find something you like. This place is always packed, and the parking lot is tiny, but it is worth a visit.
(4)Nicole L.
On a very laid back, totally unplanned 14 hour annandale restaurant crawl we stopped by Shilla Bakery our third stop after stuffing our faces with delicious food from Gom Tang E and Bon Chon Chicken. We slowly made our way to Shilla's for some bingsoo. Le Matin was cute but Shilla's the real deal. Last time I was here was 5-6 yrs ago. This was a kick-ass bakery with high quality baked goods, pastries and cakes. It was such a delight to see the beautifully baked and presented cakes and breads, especially the cake that was shaped like a giant mocha coffee cup. There were free samples of various products and we tried everything - everything was delicious especially the mocha cake with layers of filo dough - there were texture, richness, softness and a perfect balance of sweetness. I ended up buying the mocha cake and a cup of green tea. We tasted Mikkela's strawberry bingsoo it was a giant bowl of shaved iced, strawberry ice-cream, fresh strawberries and sauce. It was very tasty and great for a few people to share with. We hung out at the bakery for 3-4 hours before we decided to head to another venue for a late dinner. Throughout the time there, people came and went but it was always packed.
(4)Natasha S.
I have been coming to this specific location for the last 12 years. It's a great Korean bakery in where you can find delicious mini and full size cakes, frozen desserts and breads. I love their cakes when they are fresh. They make some great bing soo, my only suggestion is to come when they are busy. Although, you have to fight a crowd to order and find seating, it's most likely more fresh. I really love their cakes, my favorite are the fruit cakes. Leave it to us Asians to make the best desserts! Not too sweet, and just right!
(4)Kelly G.
The group of us who dined together at Honey Pig reconvened at this bakery/gathering place after dinner. They have all sorts of baked goods. Macaron. Birthday cakes. Bread. Buns. What caught my eye was the fiber drink. I did not try it. I wish I had. I know I'll probably never be back here again. Oh well. 1/13/12
(3)Juliet A.
Shilla is well-loved by many people in the DC-NoVA area - it is always teeming with customers. From my numerous visits here (always at the behest of my husband, usually after a diner at Sorak Garden), I remain unimpressed. The bakery offers numerous samples, and treats ranging from white-bean cookies to bingsoo to fro-yo to crunch nutty cokies and fluffy cakes. But all of these have the same problem in common: NO FLAVOR. Everything tastes spongey or overly flour-y or just plain bland. Sorry, Shilla. I know you have many fans out there, but I just ain't one of 'em.
(2)Nini T.
I love the tiramisu cake from here. It's not too sweet like many other cakes I have tasted. A nice place to hang out with your friends at anytime, and you can stay for hours, without feeling like someone is rushing you out. They usually have free samplers for you to try, which are delicious. The foods are great, and the price is reasonable. The only thing I don't like to come here a lot because of lack of parking spot. Always crowded (which is a good sign for businesses), but I don't like the hassle of fighting/finding for the parking. Or finding people just put emergency signal, park on the side n block everyone. The parking space is already small to begin with. I have recommend this place to a lot of my friends, especially from out of town. I definitely would come back, mainly for the tiramisu cake.
(4)Yaka H.
Cute Korean bakery is a pretty crowded shopping plaza. It has a decent amount of seating, so this is a good place to meet up with friends, grab some desserts and coffee, and chat. One thing that's great about this bakery is that there are a lot of free samples scattered about the breads, pastries and cakes. The breads can be pretty sweet with their fillings of white bean, red bean, etc., but the cakes tend to be that really light and fluffy Asian sponge cake and not as sweet as their American counterparts. The cakes come in various sizes to individual little cakes for 1 to large cakes for a party. The Green Tea Bing Soo which is a huge mountain of shaved ice with red beans, green tea ice cream and sweetened condensed milk that can be shared with a group of friends. Yummy! Very similar to the Taiwanese shaved ice. The Green Tea Bing Soo was a great way to end the KBBQ meal we just had at Honey Pig. There's also froyo available at Shilla's too.
(4)Boo L.
I was pleasantly surprised by this bakery. Hoping that what I'm about to say doesn't come off sounding really uninformed, I honestly wasn't familiar with the fact that Asian bakeries like this existed. Being a huge fan of Asian cuisine across the board ,about the only desserts I've seen have pretty much been limited to ice cream or, in the case of Thai food, sweet sticky rice or tapioca. Shilla had a ton of sweets and savory breads. I had a hard time deciding what to try. I settled on a multi-layered chocolate mousse that was very satisfying. It's definitely worth a visit.
(4)Jessica Y.
On a hot, summer afternoon, this is a great place to go for bingsu! The bakery was packed as it was another typical humid, hot day in DC. The bingsu here is reasonably priced and comes in huge portions! It wasn't my favorite place, but definitely satisfying.
(4)Jenny A.
I'm very used to the Shilla in Centreville since I live there, but I've been a regular customer to this one as well since it has opened. I've heard from others that their customer service was horrible the first couple of years they've opened, but never experienced it myself until the end of 2011. Their customer service is HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE. My girlfriend and I walked in one Friday evening and the cashiers were confident enough to scoff RIGHT IN FRONT OF US while checking out...(?) Really now? Was it because we were a lesbian couple? The cashier that "checked" us out didn't even check me out. She had a disgusted look on her face and handed it to the girl next to her to swipe it. Once, I went to this dreadful place again to grab a Chai Tea Latte because I forgot to pick it up in Centreville on my way to work and they gave me a different order, which was a Thai Latte. Obviously the color of a Chai Tea Latte, if you've been working there is brownish gray, but the one they gave me was a bright orange liquid in cup! I even went to the cashier to give them one last chance and emphasized the words CHAI TEA LATTE, but said to my face that that bright orange liquid she saw in my cup was a Chai Tea Latte. I couldn't believe it. Never went back to this place since. You're much better off going to Le Matin De Paris, Dolce, or Breeze. Even if these places didn't carry great pastries, at least you're going to get decent customer service.
(1)Jay P.
I have been to this place many times, but every single time I visited, staff members especially cashier were extremely rude. I would recommend going to breeze or shilla centreville.
(1)Karen L.
Love love love the cream puffs. They have a whipped cream filling and seem so delicate and light. Sometimes I buy two containers, thinking I'll kindly gift the second batch to my mom who also loves them. Sometimes they make it to her, sometimes they follow that first batch right into my stomach. The other pastries are pretty good too. They have tons of samples so you can try out new items to see what you like. I like that they have bing soo too. Good to satisfy the craving, but not the best I've had.
(4)Audrey L.
I'm beginning to love this place more and more throughout the years. Their service used to be a bit on the rude side if you aren't Korean, but they've gotten a lot better recently. Their variety of bread is definitely growing by the day. The quality has always been excellent. I always buy their cakes for any occasion (birthdays, christmas, etc). The icing is much lighter than American-style cakes, which I love because I'm not a big fan of icing. I recommend their fruit cake if your taste buds are similar to mine (not too sweet). All of their coffee choices are great. Their paninis are okay. The best part of this bakery is definitely their bingsoo. I recommend their yogurt bingsoo, strawberry bingsoo, and green tea bingsoo. Great bakery, I'd go every week if I could.
(4)Jessica W.
I think the bakery is great, but not as good as breeze bakery. Even so, I love coming here when I'm close by.
(4)Patrick G.
Free samples and good coffee.
(4)Jee D.
I've been coming here for years and I've never actually sat down and had anything to eat here - I always take everything home. Their pastries and breads are individually wrapped and ready for instant gratification, or gratification the next day. They always have the usual culprits like red bean filled or white bean filled goodies, in addition to their delicious assortment of cakes. Their cakes are definitely Korean style - not overtly sweet, yet sweet enough and the cake itself is light and fluffy...just thinking about it makes me want to celebrate someone's birthday right. now. I also love that they have savory pastries and the tofu crackers...those are sooo good! It's lightly crispy with black sesame seeds in them....so so delicious! My only qualm is that their selection varies so they might not have something you're looking for (ex. my brother loves the strawberry cream filled ones, but they won't have that sometimes). In any case, whenever I'm in Annandale, I always stop in and find something that suits my mood (or someone's b-day...like mine....maybe it's my b-day today....).
(4)Glinda C.
After reading many reviews, and since it's across the street from my office I tried it twice for lunch. Both times it was just "OK." Maybe I'm ordering the wrong item, I don't know. The first time I had the grilled chicken salad whcih was woefully lacking in chicken. The dressing is a soy-ginger sauce and was pretty good. Today I ordered an ordinary Ham & Cheese sandwich. The menu board said with "SWISS" cheese so I can't figure out why mine had two thick slices of "CHEDDAR" and only ONE slice of ham, the cheese was over-whelming. Maybe I'm not supposed to order food just baked goods. hmmmm!. And I'm not sure if the employees are rude or you're just non-existent to them. They will walk into you without a second glance. One of the workers backed into me and never bothered to look around, say excuse me or anything else.
(2)Micah P.
Go on a Sunday! Samples! It will make you want to buy the cakes! Cream Cheese Pound Cake - delicious! The cream cheese area is like a special surprise. Mocha Roll - Super delicious taste throughout. I especially like the mocha cream in the middle. Also, cakes are pretty cheap! Not too expensive. I should really write this review after trying their boba or bing soo... so hopefully in the next month I'll be back to update. Believe me, I will be a BIG critic to their boba (there's a place I like somewhere else, so it will be hard to please me).. but I can't say much since I haven't had Shilla's yet!
(4)Christine N.
I've been coming here for a few years now and It seems as though there efforts into there bingsoo has gone downhill. The bowls use to be bigger, with more fruits, syrups, icecream, mochis etc. but the past few times I've had them, it's been smaller, more icy, and less flavorful compared to how it use to taste. It just isn't as filling as it use to be. There breads and bake goods are still fantastic though.
(3)Chiiiiiiiiiii L.
Since I drove 88 miles to Annandale for Korean food, it's s/t/u/p/i/d not to hit one of the dessert places. Shilla Bakery looks like the typical dessert place where I usually go to after dinner at K-town in LA. Tried Mango Mousse and Lady Bug. They taste as expected. Mango mousse is like those I can get at Mak Cafe in K-town in LA. The difference is that they have more staffs than any of the Korean dessert places I have been to. i.e. no need to ring the bell to wait forever for someone to serve you. Got a foot long cake home for $9 only . 5-stars.
(5)Vivian C.
After going to Centreville's Shilla Bakery every week, I decided to try this location. I was disappointed for several reasons: -This bakery is small. I could barely find a table to sit at when I ordered my Bing Soo. The one in Centreville has plentiful seating and relaxing dim lighting. This place doesn't have a relaxing vibe at all. -This bakery is skimpy on the samples! The one Centreville gives you huge chunks of free bread for you to try! Plus, there aren't workers starring at you when you reach for a sample in Centreville. Here, the breads are in front of counter so every once and a while, you get glares from the workers if you're standing around too long. -I tried the Red Bean Bing-Soo and it was literally 80% Ice/Water and 20% Red Beans & Fruit. It was the worst Bing-Soo I have ever had...There goes $7 wasted. I'll continue to go to the Shilla Bakery in Centreville. It's more spacious; There's more better and more seating; The atmosphere is more inviting and relaxing; The Bing-Soo is 200% tastier; The samples are bigger =)
(1)Amr X.
Worse bakery in the town ever they gave a an expire cake n ma aunt got food poisoning, would not recommend this to no one!!
(1)T L.
I've been to Shilla so many times and the service is consistently good. This place is great when you don't want to meet your friends for lunch or dinner. For those with a busy schedule, just tell your friends to meet you at Shilla for pastries and tea or coffee. No one will ever know that you had originally planned for a short and sweet meeting when you realize you can't pull yourself away from the juicy gossip and end up staying for hours. I recommend the hot vanilla latte; it has just the right amount of sweetness and vanilla aroma. Free samples are always a plus because for someone like me who is unfamiliar with Korean pastries, I can taste before purchasing. No money going to waste here! Check out the most adorable cake designs at the counter! Don't be afraid to ask about the flavors. People are always willing to help you. Once you've made your purchases, you may get some extra free full-sized pastries. I just had a breakfast sandwich-like pastry that I'm so glad I took home and slathered ketchup on.
(4)Andrew C.
Visit Date: 07.04.2010 Good place to get Asian cakes, breads and drinks after eating Korean barbecue. They have numerous free samples of their baked products, which you can heavily take advantage of, like I usually do lol.
(4)Juliet K.
on weekends they have sample of most of their newer bakery items. they also have cakes, ice cream, bing soo, and coffees to order at the register. i LOVE their red bean bing soo. you can get a scoop of ice cream on top for a little bit of an extra charge. totally worth and you can share ONE with about 4 people comfortably. YUMMMMM!
(4)Juichia C.
It's hard to find Asian style baked goods in the US. Having grown up in Taiwan, I've never been able to get used to the super sweet icing covered sweets they offer here in the US. Asian pastries offer more delicate flavored sweet desserts that don't give you diabetes (or at least not as quickly). Instead of heavy pies, icing covered cakes, you will find fluffy breads, cakes and heavenly whipped cream at Shilla's. Shilla's is one of my boyfriend and I's favorite places in NOVA. I'm not talking about just bakeries or cafes or restaurants, but PLACES!!! First of all, it will be a difficult task for anyone to find a bakery that offers as wide a variety of pastries as Shilla's does. Though the cafe is not huge, they definitely display over 70 kinds of pastries in there - maybe even 100? I'm not sure, I always get so overwhelmed when I'm there. Second of all, they always put out a good variety of samples that everyone can enjoy! From pineapple cakes, to croissant sandwiches, to red bean donuts, to fruit whipped cream cake, to tapioca bread.... you name it. Shilla's is such a treat. On top of all the pastries, they also offer sandwiches which aren't bad, bubble tea, amazing Italian coffee, and Bing Soo (Korean for shaved ice). Everything is good! Oh yea, how could I forget the frozen yogurt, it's good there too. I can't pinpoint one or two things to recommend because I try something different almost every time I go there, and I love it every single time. The cafe is nicely designed, there is plenty of seating and service is fast. Prices are very reasonable!
(5)Boon K.
They have a great selection of pastry with huge sample tasting. The Bing soo are huge but a little sweet for me.
(3)Josh S.
A popular hang-out, meet-up, and dessert place for Koreans in Annandale. There are lots of Korean restaurants nearby this bakery/cafe, so many Koreans or Asians flock to this place afterward for a more chattings and sweet treats. I have been coming here often during Summer days for popular item called Pat-Bing-Soo (red bean shaved ice) for $7. It's large enough to share between two people, so after a date - this makes a perfect scene to continue your night - that is, only if she agreed to do so. They also carry other beverages such as boba tea, smoothies, and coffees but I am not a big fan of them. For coffee, I'd go to Starbucks or Caribou. For boba tea, I'd go to Rockville, MD (anyone know a good boba tea place in Virginia?) and for smoothie, I go to Smoothie King. I come here for delicious, yet overpriced bakeries, pat-bing-soo, and to look at cute girls. The place can get extremely crowded during weekends, especially after 9PM. You will also see many Korean teenagers who come here to hang but be extremely loud and hyper which makes the scene very unpleasant. If you really want to impress your date, then head to Dolce -- which is two blocks away from Shilla.
(3)Thomas N.
My girlfriend suprised me with a birthday cheesecake from this place. It looked and taste amazing. I have no idea the price though.
(4)Jennifer M.
As always, I love Shilla. The Annandale location is quaint. Maybe a little on the small side and with inconvenient parking layout. But their breads and bingsoo is the best! My parents love the milk or raisin bread. I love the red or mung bean paste-filled breads and the chestnut breads! Did I mention the selection of cute little patisserie items? Delicious chocolate mousse. But most of all, for that asian experience: the bingsoo. I think the red bean is a little on the sweet side, but the fresh fruit or green tea one is a fav. They served the green tea bingsoo with honeydew, whereas the centreville location served it with kiwi. I don't know if it was a seasonal thing, but the honeydew was bland in comparison to the green tea ice cream and syrup. And I feel that the rice cakes in the bingsoo here are a little more on the mushy/chewy side. But all-in-all YUM!
(4)Silvia L.
Good for padpingsoo
(3)Mark S.
Got Red Bean bingsoo and mango boba drink today.. Red bean bingsoo was good. lots of shaved ice.. lots of fresh fruit. very delicious. however, i still prefer the Le Matin de Paris' Paris Bingsoo (it's bigger and has frozen yogurt). The mango boba bubble tea was really good. it was almost like a mango smoothie. wasn't milky, yet wasnt juice. very good. bingsoo was $650 boba was $450. a bit pricey for the boba.. but definitely one of the better types of boba/bubble tea that i've had. the place has a lot of seats and was pretty crowded.
(4)Gwen N.
This is one of my favorite places to go to hang out and have some ice cream. Their Strawberry Bingsoo is delicious and incredibly HUGE! It's perfect to share with a friend. The next best thing here are the cakes. The fruit cake is lightly sweetened (not like the cakes at the grocery chain stores where the frosting is basically pure sugar...) with fruit mixed in. I have to say the cakes are a bit on the pricey side, but definitely worth it in my opinion. Their single serve cakes are definitely overpriced though, but it's a good way to get a taste of the cakes before buying a whole one. As for their pastries, there are a bunch that I'm not too fond of, I feel like they're bland. But there are also a bunch that are very tasty. I think I'd have to say that I prefer their "savory" pastries (meat buns, pizzaish type pastry, etc) over their sweet pastries. Finally, the atmosphere at Shilla is great! It's not really a quiet place to go with violins playing in the background, but it's very sophisticated looking and friendly. There's usually a good amount of chit chat going on from the other customers, but that makes it feel "homely" to me. The tables are spaced a bit close to one another, but that didn't bother me either.
(4)Kristen H.
Shilla is a very cool Korean bakery and cafe frequented by many young Koreans. It's definitely a place to see and be seen. It has a nice chic, trendy atmosphere and it's the type of place where everyone seems to be enjoying the conversation of their lives. I have been to Shilla on many occasions and they have tons of baked goods, but I can honestly say, Im not a fan of them at all. I don't think it's because they do them poorly, more so because I prefer SE Asian baked goods to what you find at Shilla. The pastries here just aren't half as good as they look in my mind. It's a cultural difference---I don't like really sweet pastries, but to me, these are not sweet enough to clearly distinguish them as dessert. All of my Korean friends' parents always give them long lists of things to pick up from this place (since we are all from Richmond or further south in VA), so, if you actually like Korean-style pastries, let that be an indicator of the quality of their baked goods, as opposed to my evaluation of them. What I come for is nothing more, nothing less than the bingsoo! It is SO good!!!. I love the stuff! For those of you who aren't familiar with bingsoo, most East Asian countries have their own version of this shaved ice treat. It's shaved ice topped with ice cream, condensed milk, and toppings of your choice (fresh fruit, fruit cocktail, sweet red beans, rice cake, and much more). You mix it all together and share it with a few friends. My hometown is Chesterfield, VA and my friends in Northern VA and I always meet here to catch up in the summer. I've had strawberry, almond, pot bingsoo, and the one with the fruit cocktail. It is all so very very good! i love the mixed textures from the crunchy ice, the creamy ice cream, and the chewy toppings. I will say that I prefer Taiwanese shaved ice to Korean, but the bing soo is just that, bing soo, not Taiwanese shaved ice, and it is very tasty! Not too sweet either. I definitely recommend going in and giving this place a try, even if only for the bing soo. I say, grab some friends and come share a nice bowl of bing soo!
(4)Karmen C.
I have been a faithful Shilla Bakery shopper for almost 6 years now and although their pastries are good the service has gotten worse. The people taking your orders are completely rude and they don't explain things very well. Lack of English doesn't seem to be the issue. May be they just don't prefer to serve customers that are non Korean very well. Worse is that when you place an order the whole thing is written in Korean so there is no way for you to check or figure out what they are saying about your order. Three weeks ago I ordered my daughter's birthday cake and I was very specific about "no toys" on the cake we picked. The order taker nodded and even wrote it down, but "in Korean". When my husband picked up the cake there were toys. The service needs to improve BIG TIME!
(2)Karen C.
Love the yogurt bing soo and coffee but don't care for their Boba/Bubble tea at all. They have both the slushy and non-slushy but both were WAY TOO SWEET for me and their tapioca pearls were hard, stale or not cooked fully each time I went! I felt like I was drink syrup. I thought maybe the first time they just had made it a little to sweet but i bought it 2 addtional times and they were the same. I definitely didn't enjoy their Boba and don't ever plan to buy it again from Shilla Bakery. Also, they charge $4.95 compared to Chinese/Taiwanese places that charge $2.50 for the same thing. The place tends to get crowded and noisy (defnitely not a study/work spot) and I've found that they really aren't too helpful if you don't speak korean. The pastry is a bit pricey. There has also been a few times I bought the baked goods and within a 2 days of brining it home, it started molding and the taste and texture doesn't taste fresh so normally if I buy the baked goods, I eat it the next day, I never buy more than one. Also, I don't suggest going there 20-30 minutes before closing. I went with a group of friends and ordered the yogurt bing soo, instead of telling us that we couldn't sit and stay to eat, they just packed it to-go (which isn't the same experience than eating it there) and told us we can't sit down and stay...AFTER they already took our money.
(3)S S.
I love the food and the beverages and everything else except that there is a credit card use limitation. Very inconvinient. Parking is kinda painful as well.
(4)Anne C.
This place is smaller than the Centreville one but has been here the longest and it is the most packed! you won't walk in without seeing someone you know! they also have a bigger selection of pastries, etc. I have to say though that this shilla is definitely more "korean oriented" but that's cuz it's in annandale!! hahaa In centreville, i definitely see tons off different ethnicities walking in and out of the place so it makes me happy to see everyone trying new things. Their bingsoo (especially coffee bingsoo to go!) is delicious and their yogurt icecream as well. Their coffees ehhh, but their cakes are good too! overall= yay
(4)Chenney C.
I drove 20 minutes out of my way to experience Shilla Korea Bakery. Taking me to an Asian bakery is like taking a drug addict to a meth lab. After the twitching ended, and I spent over $50 in bread and bubble tea - I was in heaven! Of course while my girlfriend stared at me in shock at how much bread I purchased, I lied and told her it was partially for my family when I had really planned on trying it all here and there on our way back to Cincinnati. First off, taro bubble tea- WIN. It was nicely flavored, not too sweet and had a nice milk tea texture. Now, the bread shared a similar story. The red bean filled were excellent , as was the yellow custard pastries. I wasn't a huge fan of their Japanese style bread because it lacked flavor and was not very soft. All in all - next time I'm in D.C. area, Shilla will see me spend another $50.00 on everything again!
(3)Joe C.
We liked the bing soo here better than at Breeze. Plus, the fruit in the bing soo was fresh. Also, the samples were amazing.
(4)Alex H.
I've been to Shilla probably 6 times and am just getting around to writing my first review. There is no real reason for the wait. I guess I was hoping that the few things that bothered me before were just coincidental and would not reoccur. I guess I was way too optimistic. Shilla gets three stars primarily for its service. The baked goods, in my opinion, are nicely done; I will continue to shop there on the few occasions I'm in the area. I hope, however, that someone at Shilla reads this and other reviews and do a little OJT (On the Job Training) of their employees. First, smile and greet your customers. When you arrive at the register, there is rarely a smile, a hello, or a thank you. They expect for you to read the amount you need to pay - they rarely say, "That'll be $10.14, please." They expect you to read it yourself, pay, and beg if you want your receipt. Second, when there are customers in the store and you need to restock the shelves, please allow them to continue their shopping unfettered. Instead, they say, "excuse me", and step in front of you to do their work. All the while, you cannot get to the goods and have to wait for them to finish. It should be the other way around, shouldn't it? Another employee who had finished her restocking, blocked another section with the bread trolley. Can you move out of the way, please? Finally, there has to be a better system for delivering ordered products to the tables. If you order a coffee drink, a bingsoo, or the like, you are expected to grab a seat and listen intently for them to yell out your order. "FROZEN YOGURT WITH STRAWBERRIES!" If you happen to miss that, which is easy to do, your frozen treat sits out in the open and begins to melt. Others walk past it, breath on it, and could pick fruit off of it if they liked. Not only that, it's sitting at the same place where people are supposed to return their dirty plates. That has got to be a health code violation of some kind. It takes an additional 10 seconds and 20 paces to delivery the goods to the tables. If you never look up to greet your customers, though, are you expected to know their faces and deliver the goods to the right table? I guess not. Shilla is a dynamite bakery, but needs to take a closer look at the way it treats its customers.
(3)Cathy B.
I went in by myself. It was really overwhelming! It was packed at 8PM on a Sunday. No free tables. I got the green tea bing soo to go. I loved it! However, it's really expensive--$7.30!! I mean, wow. It's definitely a big dessert meant to be split by two people--the size and the cost. There's shaved ice, green tea ice cream, red beans, mochi, and syrup. I thought the customer service was great. They made a point to ask how far out I was driving for my to go order to make sure the ice cream would survive.
(5)Benjamin Y.
I gave 2 stars purely out of poor customer service. Their breads and bingsoos are the best, no other places can do better. However, their employees are way too rude. I used to bring tons of my non-Korean friends here for bingsoos, but a guy with a long brown hair & a few other girls who work here are always rude to my friends which is very upsetting.
(2)Diana K.
Meh. There are never enough seats here, it's always way too busy, the sample plates are always empty, and the froyo is really overpriced (considering the lack of topping variety and the modest portions). If you're looking for a bakery in Annandale, go to Le Matin De Paris right across the street. Most people tend to drive right by, unaware of its existence (I know I did many times before). INSIDER TIP: Skip this Shilla location. The only Shilla Bakery worth going to in VA is the one in Centreville.
(2)Jihyun K.
It used to be the hot spot when I was in high school.. Now, I'm not so sure. The tables are constantly sticky, as well as the floor, and the employees behind the counter have treated me with disdain many times. I speak fluent Korean, but I opted to speak English on my recent visit. Lo and behold, no smiles, no courteous greeting, no offers of assistance. A sharp "Are you ready?" and a glance was all I got. When my drink came out, they didn't even bother to announce it but just set it on the counter. If I hadn't been watching, it would have been neglected and left a sad, melted mess. The conclusion? Speak you some Korean and don't mind someone's sticky bingsoo on your table.
(2)Amanda M.
illy coffee. Yum. bubble tea. Yum. bingsoo. Yum. It has a huge selection of desserts and other sweets so you can find something that you like!
(4)Tu-van L.
Not the ghetto Asian bakery - the decor isn't that much different than your local Starbucks. Plenty of seating and chairs suitable for large groups. I like sampling the different pastries offered with the free samples before making a purchasing commitment. The baked goods and the desserts I got to sample are pretty good - light and not too sugary sweet and satisfying enough to satiate my after-dinner sweet tooth. I finally experienced the infamous bingsoo for the first time. Yes the pile of shaven ice, syrup, and (fresh) fruit makes for an impressively large mound (larger if you get the larger bowl with frozen yogurt), but the sugary, milky soupy mess that results over time makes it less appetizing. Adding the frozen yogurt might sustain the frozen dessertness of bingsoo, but honestly i don't see the big deal about it. At least the frozen yogurt is satisfying. A little overpriced and the toppings are sparing yet fresh but it does the job. Closer to the other froyo places in DC and the desserts are good enough for my sweet fix any night.
(3)Laura W.
I have never before been to a Korean bakery so I have no basis for comparison, but I can say that I found everything delicious. I was a little overwhelmed when I first walked in -- so many items, so many samples, so many people! Unlike another reviewer, I found the samples plentiful and a reasonable size (I mean, come on, it's a SAMPLE. It's not supposed to be huge. The want you to taste their stuff and then BUY something, not fill up and samples and go home. And there are plenty of them.) and the staff to be very friendly. I bought a coffee bun and two creme buns (almond and mocha cream) and the woman working the cashier insisted I take a complementary butter cream bun as well. I've since eaten all of them and liked each one, though the mocha and butter cream buns were so sweet I really need to eat them a half at a time. (The coffee bun was my favourite.) I also bought a delicious looking loaf of breakfast bread that we haven't cut into yet. The other reason I popped in was to see if they had sandwiches, which they do, and I got a couple to go. My boyfriend loved the vegetarian panino -- stuffed full of veg, including artichoke hearts and eggplant. It was fine looking sandwich; better than a lot of vegetarian ones I've seen other places. I had a chicken panino with roasted red pepper, spinach, and other veg. Also very yummy. We live very close and it's nice to know there's a good place to grab a tasty sandwich within walking distance. (Prices were very reasonable too, especially since the sandwiches came with chips and a pickle. I think I spent about $30 or so all total, with lunch and breads/buns.) I can't comment on the bing soo, as I didn't order any and have no experience with it anyway, but they sounded yummy on the menu and I look forward to trying it when I'm there next; as I'll definitely be back.
(4)JEWELe M.
My grad school roommate took me here after I introduced her to KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) @ Bon Chon. Great little Korean bakery! It reminds me of K-town in L.A. Fresh bread and confectionery! I enjoyed the samples too....they helped me decide what to bring back home! iWant to definitely come back and try the macarons, sandwiches, & other breads! The green mung bean bread and breakfast cake we got were delicious!
(4)R D.
This place is awesome! A definite must-visit for anyone who loves delicious treats, cakes, pastries, and coffees! Both times I've visited they had cut up samples of each pastry/bread/etc they offered. Nice! I love samples! I only bought a coffee the first visit, but it was delicious. Second visit I had a beef burrito and it was ok, but nothing to write home about. As it's a bakery.. I'd probably stick to the bakery items. Just a suggestion. I mean, you don't go to IHOP with the intention of ordering the best steak you've ever had -- if you did, it'd be called IHOS. I digress.. Visit! It's yummy!
(4)Jenny T.
I always go here whenever I feel my sweet-tooth aching ! their sweets are always reasonably priced and I love trying the new stuff they have to offer. For example, they just came out with "melon bread" and it was delicious :) The only reason why I don't give 5 stars is because the the customer service is never uniform. One day everyone will be all smiles and super friendly but another day they could be very brusque.
(4)Xinyi T.
I love Shilla! I go to Shilla like 2 3 times a week and it's not even that close to me. I love their free samples. i love trying the cakes before i purchasing. i love their pretty cakes and binsoo. their tiramisu is amazing! i really hope they make wedding cakes because i want my wedding cake to be from shilla. I really wish Shilla have better bubble tea though. They have a pretty good selection but I like the bubble tea places in Rockville way better.
(4)Gina K.
I usually stop by here after dining at one of the many Korean restaurants that are available in Annandale. Yes, the service is not amazing and it gets too crowded at times but their baked goods, bingsoo, and bubble teas are really good! Reminds me of the bakeries back in Korea.
(4)Tiffie L.
After lunch at Bon Chon Chicken, my friends and I wanted a place to play some cards and just hang out. Shilla was down the street and I was excited to go to this little Korean bakery I had heard so much about. When I walked in, my eyes lit up at the many choices of cakes and bread! And there were SAMPLES! At first, I thought it was just for the pineapple cake at the front, but as I browsed, there were samples for almost 7 or 8 of their baked goods and I gladly enjoyed a small bite of several. Each one was delicious and I was tempted to buy everything in the store. The prices were a bit more expensive than I am used to as someone who frequents Taiwanese bakeries. Regardless, the cakes cater to an Asian palate as they are not too sweet and they have flavors such as Red Bean and Green Bean. I also bought a small Americano, which was really good. I'm not sure if they sell Illy coffee, although that was the label on the cups. I was a little disappointed by their "Boba" selection which were all slushies. Again, though, I am not sure that I should have expected a Korean bakery to have the type of boba I am used to. But for someone stuck in Washington D.C. where there is a great lack of good Asian food and treats, I was grateful for my friends with cars who could take me out somewhere like Shilla for the afternoon! There is plenty of seating and we were able to grab a table for 7 of us for over an hour.
(4)E S.
I like to pop in here and get a couple of sweet pastries if I know I will have company for tea later in the day. I've picked up some savory pastries too, there is a deepfried looking one with potato inside that is fantastic. I've tried their bingsoo, it's pretty good, portions are huge. Most of the time I take my pastries and run home.
(4)Agnes C.
This place has great breads, bing soo, cakes & everything you can find in there...I go there at least once a week. So why did I only give them three stars? Because their customer service sucks most of the time. Ps. The bubble drinks are good, but waaaayyyyy over priced!
(3)E G.
Amazing Bakery! Kim chi bulgogi pizza! Macarons (chocolate was considerably better than the pistachio). Various filled breads and pastries and a kick ass sandwich selection. Sandwhiches: I had The Ester panini that includes smoked turkey, artichoke hearts, fresh mozzarella..pretty major sandwhich for a 'bakery'. Has become compulsory for me now everytime i visit.. Breads: Huge and varied selection of breads and their flavor filled cousins; 'the bun' (from mochi to red bean to mocha to 'cream' and then some..they have it all). Sweets: On the sweets side i really like their flaky almond stick cookie. Quite addictive. Also not to be missed are their boba teas. As popular as Boba is now the real thing that sets shilla head and should above the rest is their large selection (from green apple to taro to caramel mocha) and a quality ingredients, while im sure most of the fruit flavors are syrups the chocolate flavor boba arrived with nice shaved bits of chocolate. FIgure out your favorite flavor (some were a bit too sweet for me, such as the chocolate but the coconut was spot on and the green apple made me remark 'wow that's good') Check it out..you cannot regret it.
(4)Alannah A.
I'm all about the red bean bingsoo and the pistachio macaroons. They also have pretty good bubble tea. This is one of my guilty pleasures for sure
(5)Esther K.
Got married June 29th, 2013. Lovely and very tasty wedding cake! No complaints about the price either.
(5)Helen C.
Great prices and amazing-looking cakes. The mocha cream-filled buns are only $0.95. Definitely coming back here.
(5)Su Jin K.
Pros: tons of free samples of nearly every kind of pastry; large variety of desserts (froyo and paht-bing-soo (red bean shaved ice with sweetened rice cake, fruits, and froyo as additional options)) and Korean drinks, and Illy coffee. If you buy a lot of stuff, the cashier will sometimes throw in a few pastries for free. The $7 paht-bing-soo comes in portions for 2+ people, so don't try to finish one on your own (price should let you know you'll be getting a lot)! I don't have discriminating tastes for froyo, but I like the tanginess of it here, and it isn't terribly expensive (under $4 with 1 free topping). Cons: the quality of the pastries and cakes can vary widely. Never get the go-goo-ma cake (sweet potato cake)! It is dry and too heavy on the potato with not enough cream, so it doesn't taste like a dessert (but do get the loaves of bread that are perfect for toast or any of the pastries with cream fillings -- light and sweet without the "Ugh, I'll never do that again" feeling afterwards). Depending on when you go, it can be a madhouse. On busy weekends or nights, it is a pain to park in the small lot, so I usually park in the larger lot behind the cafe. It's also a random hodgepodge of people who come here, because there aren't a lot of comparable places. So, you'll have college students, young adults, parents with young children, Korean ahjummas, older families, and of course, the notorious Korean high school students/dropouts//wannabe gangsters who love to be loud and obnoxious. Add them all together and you get...a zoo.
(3)Abby C.
Food/Cost: (3.25/5) After getting the Green Tea Bingsoo (~$7) to split with 4 other friends, I did some pastry shopping here and walked away with about $11 worth of assorted goodies. I'll start with the Bingsoo, which is shaved ice. I've gotten plenty of shaved ice in California, and the one here was not the best I've had, but I still loved it! There was two large scoops of green tea ice cream, a good amount of red bean, and yummy green tea syrup over the ice part. My only complaint would be that Shilla's was a bit skimpy on the mochi. I would definitely recommend sharing these small mountains of cold goodness with 1 or 2 other people as you get a decently large portion per order. As for the breads and pastries: again, I go to Asian bakeries all the time in California, so the pastries here weren't the best I've had, but they were still really, very good. I got -- in the order of preference -- the Sweet Potato bread ($2.50), Bulgogi & Kimchi Pizza ($3.95), Red Bean bread ($1.50), Pork Croquette ($1.75), and Almond Cream bread ($0.95). They were all delicious. I particularly appreciate Shilla's super generous amount of fillings in each and every bread. I hate it when bakeries are stingy with their fillings. In fact, I would say that the filling to bread ratio here is the best I've encountered in a long time, even beating out my favorite bakeries in California. Ambiance: (3/5) When you enter Shilla Bakery, you are greeted with the large pastry selection, cake counter, and ordering area; upon continuing left you arrive at an adequately large seating area. The patrons vary from teenagers hanging out and playing card games to families out with the children. I was greeted with happy vibe when I entered the Bakery -- probably because everyone was enjoying their drinks, bingsoos, or other sweets :) The decor is cheerful as well with striped and patterned chairs. Still, the decor wasn't very impressive and the transition from cafe/bakery to seating area felt strangely abrupt and disjointed. The bakery area was extremely cramped; between people perusing the pastry selection, the ordering line, and people standing around while waiting for their orders, there was barely space to breathe, let alone move. However these issues can be overlooked and Shilla still gets an A-OK rating for its happy ambiance. Location: (3/5) Shilla Bakery is situated in a shopping center with plenty other restaurants and stores. Accordingly, it has its own parking lot, which is helpful. Though we had no problem finding a sparking space, parking here seems limited and may be a problem during peak times. Service: (3/5) If you order any drinks or desserts, you'll place your order and wait for your buzzer to go off. They fill orders quite quickly, so you won't have to wait long. Though the speed of service is satisfactory, other aspects of the service here need a little bit of improvement. First, they need to restock the baskets faster. I saw plenty of pastries wrapped and ready to go, but they remained on the top of the shelves. In addition, they're a bit sloppy with receipts here. My party got the wrong receipt for our Bingsoo and my cashier struggled a bit to give me my receipt for the pastries. Overall: (3.5/5) In terms of Asian pastries available in the DC/MD/VA area, I would recommend going to Shilla Bakery. The prices are quite cheap for what you get and the items here were all yummy eats. A pretty solid dessert and pastry destination.
(3)Chow N.
I"m not a big fan of Korean baked goods. Way too sweet, and dry. I tried this place once and don't feel a need to come back. Does anyone know what's uniquely Korean about their baked goods anyway?
(2)Lor B.
They need to have something like this in Seattle. This place is amazing. After gorgin on a ton of Korean BBQ - we somehow still had some room to sample this amazing little bakery. They have a ton of little pastries and cakes to choose from -- they serve Illy coffee, which is fabulous! - They have homemade yogurt ice cream and this really crazy dessert called Bing Soo - which is basically an icecream, shaved ice sundae - this thing is GIGANTIC so only order one to share with 3 others. This place is seriously good. I sooo wish I had a "K town" where I live...
(4)Tom N.
My absolute favorite cake is the Korean cream cake at Shilla. It's a moist and fluffy sponge cake with whipped cream icing. Sliced fresh strawberries, kiwi, and various fruit layer the middle and cover the top. It tastes light and refreshing, and presents beautifully out of the box. I also love the almond butter cream pastries and bubble tea. The many bing soo flavors come with tons of fruit. There is never a lack of selection, and this Shilla Bakery is usually open until 11pm.
(5)Chef A.
I had a green tea bubble tea here with friends the other day and really liked it. They had free bread laying all over the place, and it was uber crowed. It was pretty cool. There's all sorts of kick ass people here too. But beware of the guy dressed in the batman costume. I hear he is a regular and likes to talk about Star Wars to local patrons. Only downside to the place is that I hate the parking. It's like trying to park a truck in a compact car spot, that's how tight parking is here.
(4)Geee P.
I'm from Houston, Texas. Where everything is bigger (and better even when it comes to food in my humble opinion). Food is so good and inexpensive here in TX. When I travel, it's hard not be critical. So that's why you should always trust my reviews. I kid. I wanted to try the Fruity BING SOO, but I didn't really like it. It had a mixture of cocktail fruit from the can and some fresh fruit. uM no. I want ALL FRESH FRUIT... and the good kind too... like: RIPE MANGO. No mango here. Just cocktail fruit, sour strawberry and watery tasting melons. Well it had some fresh KIWI. That's probably the only thing I liked. It had fresh bananas too, but I don't really care for bananas. ICE- it's rather chunky & rocky and melted fast... our dessert turned soupy quick. Maybe it's suppose to be like that? I think it was bc the dessert was in a glass bold too. (Styrofoam bowls would be better) I know you might think wth are you talking about? Shaved ice is shaved ice! I like the ice to be shaved super fine with a smooth texture...It doesn't melt as fast for some reason. it makes a big difference! Trust. I think the Fruity BING SO was ok. Didn't hit the spot like JUICEBOX in Houston. It's light though... so it might be your cup of tea. I will come back however to try other items.
(3)Mikkela T.
Free samples of white crack carbohydrate. Free samples of crack carb shmeared with sweetened whip cream butta. Free samples of caramel color carbs baked into fun shapes. Cracked carbs with filled cracks... drool. The breads here are sweet-get-me-off-the-tram-now-hawt-diggety-dawg-Âcan-I-shove-another-sample-in-me! Grab a wooden basket (how natural!) and pile in the pastel colored breads and cakes. Order a "bingsoo" and find out that it's shaved ice with condensed milk, fruit and "mochi" or chewy rice cake marshmallowy things. Enjoy watching the crowds of young Korean Americans and blended international families coffeeshop it up! Sure, it's crowded. If the tables were closer together, they'd be "bunk" style. And the last time I was in Shilla Bakery, the sign on the toilet door said, "chocolate froyo flavor" which brings out the seven-year-old toilet humorist in me. This place is ubiquitous on the "Mikkela Tour of Koreatown, Northern Virginia." Always come here for free samples. Even if it makes you kind of dizzy.
(4)Na L.
This place is definitely a good place to hang out or meet up with friends for a cup of tea and share a pastry. They also have Bubble Teas and Korean ice creams. I will definitely try their ice creams next time after Honey Pig. Another good thing about this place is the many samples throughout the store that you can try if you have never been there. So don't think about it. The next time you are in Annandale, just stop by there and check it out for yourself!
(5)Ameera C.
Not bad I love their baked goods! But their bing soo...well I have had better.
(3)Tao Tao W.
i def like the shaved ice here more. It's cheap for the amount that you get. Two to three people could share one. It's full of flavor and is a nice mix of shaved ice, ice cream, and fruit. It is not overwhelming with an extreme amount of fruit. The only thing is that it gets really busy on friday and saturday nights so seats are hard to find.
(5)Martin H.
This place is great. Loaded up on free samples. Haha.
(4)Esther Y.
i'm from new york.. and i drink lots of iced coffee. starbucks caramel macciato: $4.50 - $5.00? understandable because a shot of espresso goes in it. but $4.50 for AN ICED COFFEE? get the fuck outta here!!! i bought 3 pastries for FOUR dollars!!! how are you going to tell me that the iced coffee is 50 cents more expensive than 3 pastries? FAIL
(1)C R.
Shilla is awesome! I've tried lots of their fruity bobas and they usually don't disappoint. The boba is chewy too. I go almost every week. I wish it were slightly cheaper though, then I would give it 5 stars. An added feature is that they sell Asian bakery foods too, which is nice. Haven't taken advantage of that too often.
(4)Paul W.
Busy and bustling atmoshpere, the place delivers everythin you might want from a Korean bakery and cafe. Everything, except parking and seating. Even so I give this place 4 stars. As far as food goes, the secret to good quality in places like these is high turnaround. The faster the food gets sold, the better the chances you're getting something fresh. And this place certainly has high turnaround. I also attribute their relatively reasonable prices to this as well. Stick with the baked goods, bingsoos, and yougurts. Coffee here is watered down as in most Korean cafes, the bubble teas are frozen, and almost all the cakes are butter cream.
(4)Jess T.
Pros: I like this bakery. There are so many options for sweet and savory baked goods, and they offer plenty of free samples. Cons: The bubble tea is expensive at $5, and I don't like how it's slushy consistency. I realize that's common, but I like actual liquid bubble tea with ice cubes. Sadly, that kind is hard to find around here. Also, I tried a macaroon and it had margarine in the middle. Not good. I was also not the biggest fan of the chicken sandwich. Still, for the desserts and fun experience and crowd, I often frequent this bakery.
(3)Brendon G.
Ok I think Shilla has improved in several ways (or in some cases I've expanded my target list): 1 the coffee is really good 2 frozen yogurt desserts very nice 3 sweet bakery items better than I recall
(4)Angelus H.
OUt of the several bakeries I have been to in the area...Shilla seems to be the best one....yes I may be critical and anal about my ratings in several of my posts but you know what...Yes, I have high expectations and standards when it comes to my food....after all....none of these items in any restaurants are that cheap these days...... The cakes are okay but compared to some Korean bakeries like Tous Le Jours and Paris Baguette...this place fell way short. The Pat bing soo is what I come back here for....I dont get the mixed fruit one because, its just fruit from the can and not that appetizing....the Strawberry Pat Bean Soo is the best over here and I have come here repeatedly ordering this...so just go with that....and enjoy.
(3)Michael E.
Fruit bing soo, Green tea bing soo., Yogurt bing soo. It is so good at Shilla. I can't get enough. Even in the winter I go and get it. The other baked items are nice and there usually plenty of samples on the side. Stay away from the americanized pastries, the other baked goodies are way better. The place is busy because its good. Other reviewers complain about the noise, the crowd, the hurried staff. Well, thats what happens when a cafe is good at what is does...lots of people go to it.
(5)Janice J.
I love shilla bakery! There cakes and pastries are so cute! I love there banana bread, that is shaped like a banana. I also love there cream cheese bread.
(5)Peggy W.
GREEN TEA BINGSOO. Just do it. I lurve lurve lurve it. Honestly, it's just ice, ice cream, mochi balls, and red bean.... but I get easily excited over simple stuff in life, so a bowl of this and I am SET, yo. Their breads all look yummy, and there are plenty of samples.... I get full off the samples, don't buy any, then regret it the next morning. But, my jeans still fit because of that so I guess that's a-o-k.
(4)Jen M.
Pros Yummy Bingsoos Tasty Illy coffees Interesting breads Friendly fast service Open late Cons Horrendous parking situation. Dirty and crowded
(3)George S.
I remember when my mother took me to a cafe in Seoul and treated me to bingsoo. I was only 6 years old then but it blew my mind! Many East Asians and Southeast Asians have their own variations and their own names for what Koreans call "patbingsu" or just "bingsoo" (or "bingsu"). The "pat" stands for beans but that's about all I know. Simply put, it is just shaved ice with condensed milk drizzled throughout (as demonstrated by Maangchi- I LOVE THIS WOMAN: maangchi.com/recipe/patb… ) and sweetened red beans along with pieces of mochi and any fruit variation on top. I prefer to keep it simple: shaved ice, condensed milk, sweetened red beans, mochi, strawberries and even a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream to complement the strawberries--this is actually considered quite minimal if you can believe it! In sum, Shilla has great bingsoo along with other types of Koreanized pastries. The Annandale location gets a bit crowded and I am usually fine with that as I always enjoy a little bit of people watching. This place doesn't remind me at all of the place my mom took me in Korea, but it's as close to Korea-town as it gets in the DC-metro area. Shilla is kinda pricey--I am not sure that I'd go there to purchase a birthday cake (I'd rather go to Lotte bakery in Germantown) every time, but it is definitely a place to go for a nice treat now and then. The Rockville location is not as crowded (and therefore cozier) but their selection is not as diverse, so you take what you can get.
(4)Marian A.
really good love da bubble
(5)H T.
First of all, they have these walnut cookies, with red bean paste in the middle, and they are SO good! They also have cream puffs that are the best that I've had in a long time! But like with any other bakery, try to get their pastries during the day because that's when their the freshest! I've gotten the walnut cookies and the cream puff at night and their just not the same. They're good, but not the same :( Just the other night I went with some friends to get the bingsoo. It's not the best I've had, but it was still good. Overall, its my favorite place in the area to go to buy some delicious pastries.
(4)Sarah T.
Decent Bakery and Cafe that I like to stop by at when I'm in the area. My friends and I will come here to hang out and catch up with each other sometimes. I've tried various breads, cookies, and pastries from here...some are better than others and others are just about the same with slight variations in texture and taste as most bakeries are. I definitely like it better than Western Bakeries probably because pastries here seem to have just the right amount of sweetness to it. I would've given this place four stars if it wasn't for the AWFUL MACARONS! They were dry and hollow and just plain nasty! I bought about 9 different flavors at once without trying them beforehand because I had confidence that it would be good...well now I know better. I've also had mixed feelings with service...those who can speak English well tend to treat you with a normal-indifferent service and those who can't (or in one case I had pretend they can't) try to not look at you, ignore you, or try not to deal with you in general.
(3)Lindasauce B.
Love the scene, atmosphere and the fro-yo with homemade mochi pieces is AMAZING! :-) Great place!
(4)Jessica K.
haven't been in here for awhile. stopped by. this place is crawling with young kids? when did it become the "it" spot for high school, korean kids?? this place is getting too crowded for me. i think it's time to find a new korean bakery
(3)David W.
This place is a-alright... The bubble tea strawberry is good (probably the best flavor they got) and they let you sample the bread which is nice. BUT what's up with the service??? Damn.. Me and a Korean buddy (who hasn't been in the U.S. for more than a couple months) went here and ordered some bubble tea and may have taken a second longer to get the right amount of cash out. The rude korean cashier slowly repeated the total "eight.... fourty.... one...." even though it was clear that my friend was korean and the cashier was korean too. Can't you guys be a lil more respectful, especially to people from your own country?? WTF man, be respectful. This wasn't the only time either.. I really don't like people who look annoyed or try to rush you to order something, especially when its not even busy... thats what erks me. I try to avoid ordering from here, solely cause I don wanna flip out on anyone. If you want some decent korean bread, yogurt, tea then go. But, don't expect any smiling workers taking your order.. O btw. a new korean bakery opened up called BREEZE in annandale, the decor is nice, and people seem much more lax there, will probably try it this wkend. GO THERE INSTEAD!
(2)Ross M.
Korean bakery worth checking out. Free samples, so there are flocks of Korean women stuffing their faces with bread and other baked goods. We got a green tea moose that was okay, and a Korean iced coffee, which I liked better than the Vietnamese style coffee for some reason. Place was a mad house and there was nowhere to sit. The parking lot was also really cramped. Overall, I though the bread was okay, but I still prefer a nice French style croissant from Cenan's in Vienna, as well as other sweet treats from Silva's in Vienna.Honest truth.
(3)Christina S.
This is the best bakery I found in Nova area. Every time I go to Annadale, this is the place I must stop. Everything they serve here is good, and they add new items all the times. From the pond cake to the breakfast sandwich, from the little goody to the birthday cake, everything is amazing. Not to mention they serve Lilly coffee too. You must try this bakery.
(5)Jesus J.
So I discovered another Shilla location in Rockville, MD, which is great because I live closer to Rockville than Annandale. The Rockville location is just as good as Annandale's. Some other excellent things I've tried are: * Their teas - especially the hot ginger tea. * Their selection of breads - especially the "milk" breads * A wide variety of pastries. Every one I've tried has been excellent (I recommend trying the potato bread treat). Even if there's a lot of customers, Shilla has a very relaxing atmosphere. It's such a better alternative to your more corporate (and sometimes loud) coffee and pastry shops.
(5)Nolan C.
I was pleasantly surprised after visiting. My friend had a Thai Iced Tea Boba slush and we shared a Green Tea Bingsoo. So good! I think I liked the bingsoo from Bob's Noodle 66 more in Maryland but it was still good nonetheless. Huge bowl of stuff for $6.50. I thought the place was pretty clean and the parking wasn't bad for me. Went on a Thursday afternoon. Samples of all the cakes were brought out as well, although I agree that many of them tasted similar. Still, great place for dessert (considering the plethora of Korean restaurants around this place).
(5)Steve O.
Typical low-key night in Annandale goes something like this: Get your grub on by feasting at places like Honey Pig or Yechon. Then make your way down the street to Shilla for some post-carnivorous activity desserts... then just sit and let it all digest in harmony. I've never been a fan of their coffee but that's not why we come here is it? It's the bingsoo, the yogurt, the cakes, and all different types of breads to take home. That's why we come here. I make sure to fill my bag of the classic paht bang and I'm good for the week. Great, chill place with great desserts and bread options (and all at decent prices). Of the dozens of times I've been there, service has always been excellent. And they keep the bathrooms clean! Highly recommend Shilla. And if you don't know, now you know.
(4)J. A.
I wasn't impressed at all. I can't remember exactly what I had, but it was some sort of blueberry tart. It was so bland. I tried my friends' desserts as well, and they all tasted bland and boring. Also, I noticed all my friends received nice plates with their desserts, but I was served with a cheap paper plate, which I thought was kind of strange. I wasn't the last one served, so it's not like they ran out. I give two stars for the nice decor, the presentation of the desserts, and the variety they have on the menu. I've only tried the Annandale location, so I'm not sure if the other locations are better.
(2)H.R. N.
I'm not being a hater. I'm really not. I'm just keeping it real. I'm not saying the stuff in this bakery is not good. Nope. Allz I'm sayin' is that they're average. People get caught up in the fancy wrapping, the neat presentation and the overall high-quality feel of Shilla. But where the rubber meets the road, which is to say where the flavor hits the tongue--I'm feeling like I've had many of these confections somewhere else before and tastier. It just seems that many of what is in here have muted flavors that stand in contrast to its Latin and Southeast Asian counterparts. And yet, it's still a nice bakery to stop by and get coffee and chit chat.
(3)Jake K.
The four stars come from the baked goods and the shaved ice. The lack of the fifth star comes from the fact that the teens working there are unfriendly. But hey, it's a Korean business. For the uninitiated, this can be a turn off, but anyone who has lived in Korea (or even visited for that matter) will find that it's par for the course. Every time I go, it's only for the shaved ice. Yum - just like home. The problem comes when you start getting these weird and crazy varieties. I'm going to go with the three that I've eaten - the rest just look like crap to me. 1. Paht bing soo - this is the standard for shaved ice. You get fruit, sweet red beans (and yes, it's quite tasty, America!), mochi balls, shaved ice, and a little sweet cream to top things off (sometimes they cheat and give milk). Definitely a favorite and oh - unless you're: 1) heading for Jenny Craig/Weight Watchers (like me) 2) are a Korean girl who is a 34-26-32 and can pack away 50,000 lbs of food despite your boyfriend/husband's horrified expression and not gain a pound (like my wife) 3) don't mind eating a water based meal for dinner Get the desert as something for two. Or be prepared to push away from the table after eating half. It's a lot - and that goes for all of the shaved ice desserts. 2. Gwa il bing soo - this is a variation of the above only that it has more fruit and no beans. So-so - I see a lot of mom-daughter duos coming in to have this dessert together. Low fat (maybe that's why it's a ladies' favorite), not as heavy. Personally, give me the protein from the red beans and fat from the cream! 3. Nok cha bing soo - utter crap unless you like eating green tea ice cream with green tea powder and water. Not as much of a success as the first one. In my personal opinion (and that's why we yelp, right?), this is the same no matter if you get the coffee or strawberry renditions as well. Oh - a comment about the ambiance - it really lacks any. If you enjoy the environment where you get both ends of the social spectrum (a bunch of adults or a bunch of yelling teens), then by all means go there. If not, you may want to avoid peak hours and take this as a lunch time coffee/dessert spot on the weekends. Any other time can be horrendous. If you're Korean, avoid pinching, poking, kissing, or any other "scandalous" behavior in this place - your parents will find out quickly. In my case, my DRY CLEANER knew I was there with my wife...I blame the CIA influence in this town for all of the social spies!!!
(4)Rashmi E.
My quest for a perfect Patbingsoo took me to Shilla's today. Omg... I sooo did not know what I was missing all these days. Their patbingsooo was friggin amazing. The red beans were done just right and were very flavorful. The fruits were delicious including watermelon. The roasted gram powder was just right. And they were very generous with the condensed milk. It was just such a perfect bowl of yummmy icyness. Yes, the price is $7... but its definitely those summer days when you'd rather have an ice dessert than a full dinner. I am definitely coming back each week. While I was there I also saw some really good looking boba teas, and perhaps one day I'll just have to go for that. Also all the breads looked delish.. and they put out samples for quite a few, which is an added bonus. Shilla's is a MUST visit.
(5)Gideon C.
Ended up popping by here for some dessert after being a complete fat ass at Honey Pig - and I was pretty impressed. The selection (while all kind of cramped together in the front of the store) is pretty nice - have all of your breads and baked goods, desserts, and heartier choices upfront with a TON of samples for each one. I especially liked that they had croquettes stuffed with meat - the curry chicken one was pretty delicious. They have a decent selection of sandwiches, cafe drinks, the macaroons are good and fairly priced. The bing-soo is what everyone comes here for apparently but I settled for bubble tea. The baked goods were on point - though I found some options to be a little too buttery and flour-y. The mochi I bought was about covered in flour and the pastries stuffed with cream seemed to have to much butter - which leaves that weird greasy film in your mouth after a bit. For the most part most selections were under a dollar, with the fancier options generally under two or three. The staff was actually really friendly and rang me up pretty fast considering I turned into a complete fat-ass and started stacking up. Parking does suck though, I suggest looking in the back or park on the side street and walk over. And to those complaining about the workers glaring at you while you're wolfing down the free samples - how about you BUY something after you had your fill? There was a few looky-loos who stopped by and stuffed their face with the samples and then left. I seemed to be the only guy in there who actually bought something.
(4)Anthony H.
Shilla Bakery is a great chill place to stop in for some good dessert. I have had the frozen yogurt, cream puffs, and cheese cake. All three were very good but not excellent. The yogurt was the right size with standard fruit toppings. Good. The cream puff was very well made. Not overly sugary and the crust and cream were well balanced. I am told there is a strawberry filled puff that I MUST return to try. The cheese cake was equally balanced in flavors of the fruit, cheesecake, and crust. 2.5 Stars then. The additional 1.5 Stars is for the excellent and efficient service. Impressed!
(4)Chris L.
I love get bingsoo here. It's the best. They're pastries are delicious too but kinda expensive I think
(5)joseph t.
There are plenty of bakery in K-Town Annandale, VA, but there is one that lives in my head rent free, i only wish it can live in my mouth rent free. Shillawet Bakery, if you been there long enough it become personally on a first name base. The strawberry bingsoos, Dayum Soooo Goood, all kind of choices and its comes in a big portion. I'm a bakery person and this is one place that captivated my attention with all its' sweetness. One of my favorite food fetish stop and go places.
(3)Alan W.
Great place for some bingsoo or bakery.
(4)Peter T.
This is a cool place, but very crowded on a Sat night! I don't think hanging out here is such fun when it is full of noisy adolescents, but they have a nice assortment of baked goods that you can take with you. My favorite are the walnut cookies, a soft cookie shaped like a walnut shell with a piece of walnut and a red bean paste filling. I also like the Japanese-style white bread, which reminds me of Tokyo. I tried a bingsoo once. Not to my liking, but it's clearly a very popular choice here.
(4)Betsey L.
I've been to Shilla Bakery a handful of times and it is a great place to meet up with friends and have snack or dessert or drink. It is opened late on weekends which is nice and has ample seating. bu OK....How much are styrofoam dessert plates? Can't be more than a few cents each right? The other evening, we bought a small cake for my friend's bday. $24.95. Not cheap to say the least. We were given 4 small styrofoam plates and asked for 2 more since there were 6 of us. Shilla man said -No, the cake is for 4 people so I can only give you 4 plates. Us: we just want 2 plates, can we have 2 additional plates? Shill man: no i can't give you two more plates. wow....baffled. really? After buying a $24.95 cake you are going to dictate that the cake only feeds 4 people? I mean yeah, 4 people can eat the cake ....if they are fatasses and eat huge cake slices. After being denied, we sent up the ONE korean guy in our group. my korean friend said sometimes things like this happen because we're not korean. So token korean went up to ask for 2 more styrofoam plates, in korean. DENIED. As an act of rebellion from being denied 2 styrofoam plates, token korean friend grabbed 2 handfuls of plastic forks. So no thanks but thanks Shilla Bakery for the 30 something black plastic forks. The $25 cake was OK. way too much icing. it was like, 50:50 cake/icing ratio. after scraping off the unwanted icing we piled it together and sculpted a face out of the mass excess amount of icing.
(3)Rach A.
Free samples!! There is a great selection too. yes, it might be on the pricier side for boba made with powder (not real fruit), but it's still good!
(4)lily c.
If you are from LA and have been craving pinkberry frozen yogurt (see yelp.com/biz/XfWAeLQH6C-… ), then go to Shilla, which has its own brand of the tart treat. Sweet Green in Georgetown has the froyo too but it is more expensive than Shilla (but much closer for those in DC) ( yelp.com/biz/pv6BJIm7yNB… )
(3)Newton N.
Dear Shilla Bakery, Like I know that Breeze Bakery has become the new "it" place in Annandale, but please don't give up on yourself. I went for Pat Bing Soo a couple weeks ago and the red bean tasted like it was slightly burnt -- you know, that reminiscent taste that makes you think back on when your mom left the pot of stew on the stove unattended for a few minutes too long -- yeah, that taste....gross. Please tell your employees to watch the stove while they cook the red bean. Lastly, it's 2011 - you, being a Korean establishment, should be familiarized with the "well-being" wave that is flashing through all of Asia - I mean, you advertise it yourself, with your "well-being yogurt. Can you please start serving ORGANIC green tea? I mean, organic doesn't cost much more than regular green tea, and I'm sure you could inflate the prices of your hot teas to make this small, but earth and human friendly change. I swear, I won't even mind if you start charging more for your tea bags -- organic is worth it. Love, Me P.S. I saw how your pumpkin face, but fairly friendly cashier, telling one of your managers that I asked if you would consider serving organic tea -- I think she thought it was all giggles, but I was dead serious. Please go green and start serving organic tea; it's the classy thing to do. ;o)
(2)Grace T.
Like you're right in Korea... however I've been seeing more and more non-Koreans there. Their pastries are delicious. Bread is baked fresh and there is always a wide selection. My faves are the strawberry creme filled bread, mochi, the corn cassle (think that's what it's called) bread and the strawberry bin soo (shaved ice, strawberry ice cream, fresh strawberries, mochi and some pink strawberry/condensed milk syrup). Their fro-yo isn't bad and they offer toppings, but not a lot. I'm not a huge fan of their drinks, got Taro bubble tea and my bubbles were stale and narsty. After having bubble tea in NYC and other cities, I was not satisfied and resorted to launching my stale bubbles with my straw. And they sell the Italian Illy coffee, which is supposed to be FANtastic... I mean really... it's coffee... And I leave you with a lame-funny story... this guy in front of me ordered two bin soos (traditionally with shaved ice with red bean, condensed milk, fruit, ice cream, mochi, etc.) with NO milk products cause the girl he was with is lactose intolerant.... WHY would you bring her here then? Idiot.
(4)Thara S.
I like to go here on hot summer days. I'm a huge fan of pastries and desserts-- if you are too, then this is a great restaurant to eat at! This place can get really crowded, I wish it was bigger so everyone could have some space.
(4)ann p.
Chocolate whipped cream cake is absolutely delicious! :) My favorite cake of all time (for now). Has chocolate flavors but not too sweet, whipped light frosting with a hint of cocoa syrup and a very fluffy cake. MMMMM! And I'm not a sweet person either but this is yummy!
(5)Mileska R.
Hecks yea imagine my surprise seeing the bakery in Annandale?! Woo I have not frequented a SB since 2006.....IN KOREA! I manned up and ordered BINGSOO!! Heck yea it was fresh, fruity and delightful. I want the one with soft serve on top with cornflakes! Their pastries are absolutely beautiful and scrumptious! I frequent to buy co-workers a little cute pastry for their bdays. The salty people at work get JACK! Recommend you take home some opera cake fruit tart and sweet cream bread loaf. Calories but awesome tasty party in your mouth!
(4)Leann P.
One of my favorite places to go, it's about a 40 min drive for me, but I always need to come here. I love their bubble tea because it is the frozen slushy kind. I always get the black milk tea; I am not a big fruit flavored fan. I love how sweet it is! Their "bubbles" (tapioca) are sweet also! I love that! I put sugar and honey in my boiling water when I make my own bubble tea. Bubble are always cooked perfectly. I have had their little cakes before, very yummy and definitely not too sweet! ^^;; They are decorated to pretty and taste really yummy also! I LOVE LOVE LOVE their butter cream buns Mmmmm ^^;; I just ate in actually, they are sooo delicious! They have a very nice amount of butter cream, it isn't overbearing and oozing out of the sides, it is just enough to make your bun sweet. I don't like too much butter cream, so this is great! I have had many other breads and goodies here and I cannot complain about any of them. To me, it's worth the 40 minute drive, but thats just me.
(5)Yan W.
A few years back, this used to be the "it" place, but now you can actually find parking. The service here I've found has been hit or miss. Sometimes, due to the high customer traffic, they will forget your order. I've always preferred the bingsoo and ice pops (coffee) here compared to other Korean bakeries.
(3)Tracie M.
I'm a bing soo newbie so I have nothing to compare this to. All I can say is wow! It was refreshing and -- for me -- very different. I had the banana bing soo. Next time I might try the green tea flavor. It was scrumptious, although I'm not really a fan of Korean rice cakes. The rest of it was delicious and the bowl was huge! (When I ordered I thought $6.50 was a lot but you get your money's worth. It would be a good dessert to share, that's how big it is.) Also the baked goods looked delicious. I could go waaaay overboard on carbs in this place. It seemed like a place you could go to study or hang out or something. There was a lot of tables, also a lot of Korean people hanging out, so that makes me think it must be authentic. (I wouldn't know.) I was a little bit confused when the cashier took my order and then disappeared for what seemed like 10+ minutes. Just when I was thinking she had forgotten about me and gone to take her break or something, my bing soo appeared. It was a fairly elaborate concoction so I see what it took a little while to put together. I will return again when I need another refreshing treat. Perhaps tomorrow!
(4)Joanne C.
Horrible service! Only plan on coming here if you have plenty of time on your hands and a penchant for demeaning treatment. I ordered 2 bubble teas and waited nearly 15 mins, while everyone else that ordered behind me received their orders. I had to chase down a server to check on our order because standing smack in front of her empty handed was not apparent enough. The server guaranteed that our order was being made as we speak. Well, 10 mins later still no drinks. As I stared at the server that pretended not to see us, I asked politely where our drinks were. She then went to the kitchen and held the door opened as she argued with the only single person that seemed to be working, about whose job it was to make drinks. In the time they spent arguing, I could have made the drinks myself. The sever then continued to ignore us with not so much of an apology or regard. So, 30 mins after placing our drink order did we finally receive two mediocre drinks. Unless you look like a Kpop star avoid at all costs, unless you like judgemental stares and rude service.
(1)Helen S.
If I go back again, I would try something else other than the shaved ice. I've been here couple times and I always ended up having the shaved ice with green tea ice cream and their homemade mochi because I was always full when I go and I just share it with my friends. I think I am not really a big fan of shaved ice. I usually shove them away and go for the ice cream and mochi. They are pretty awesome. The cake and other baked goods they have look amazing but i never got a chance to get them. The macaroons however were a disappointment. I thought I was biting rocks coated with sugar. But I let it slide just because it was late at night and the poor macaroons probably have sat there all day already. Parking is not bad at night. Its almost always crowded but I always manage to find an open spot :)
(3)Kate J.
Good stuff , yes , horrible staffs, extremely bad manner , it was not the first time I went but the service stays the same.
(1)Rom C.
Looking for a place to hang out after over eating at any one of the korean bbq places off the tpke, well look no further. With free samples of many of their baked goods and a plethora of cold drinks to choose from (i highly recommend the sour apply boba tea) Add a pack of "nut" looking baked goods stuffed with red bean, and you'll set! Sit back, enjoy conversations with good friends or just listen to mainstream music while people watching - it's like watching episodes of a k-drama - young love is everywhere and so bring a date (or two)
(4)Julia N.
This bakery is bustling with people which is a pretty good sign that they are doing something right. There are so many baked goods and a good variety of them, it's awesome! I love me some good presentation, with cakes, specifically speaking, or just baked goodies in general. Presentation of cakes and all here were superb. I would have to say though that I have had better cakes at Tiffany's Bakery such as the fruit cake. I was a pretty big fan of the White Chocolate Mousse Cake, the Opera Cake, and the Tiramisu though (considering that Tiramisu is my favorite dessert of all times). Next time I come here I'm trying some bing soo! And getting me some more Tiramisu.. If you get it to-go (not sure if it's the same if you order it to eat inside), you can keep the glass bowl/container it's in which I think is a good trade for its price (the Tiramisu that is).
(4)Cindy C.
Oh my goodness. $7 a big bowl of ice cream that you can share with five people to eat. Lol oh my goodness. I invites all of my friends to meet me at this bakery. One of thee best place and my top number one to eat to fill your craving. My number one choices!!
(5)Sarah C.
Grabbed a basket/tray and performed my routine. When you get there too early, you'll just get in their way hehe. I've never made it before the rush - I never should. Let the good moms of Shilla do their job and stock the babies up. I walked to the finished area and started drooling.... nothing new. My 'Most Wanted' List: (not all purchased today - I'm not -that- bad... Kev, oops, I did that "-...-" again :P) Tapioca/red bean filled bread $1.95 (purchased) Almond cookie $1.50 Fruit pastry $2.95 (purchased and devoured inside Shilla's) Croissant $1.95 Almond and raisin bread $2.50 (purchased) Soboro $0.95 White bean filled bread $1.50 (purchased) Green bean filled bread $1.50 Red bean filled bread $1.50 (purchased) Cream filled soboro $1.95 (purchased) Strawberry cream filled bread $0.95 Almond cream filled bread $0.95 (purchased) Sausage rolls $1.50 Madeleine tea cakes (chewy cookies) - set of two $1.25 (purchased) Oy, I'm hungry again. Typing treats = temptation. Good thing they're waiting in the fridge. My current 'crack', at this specific Shilla, is the tapioca/red bean filled bread. Also contains chestnuts! But can do without the black sesame seeds - got floss? Same set up as the Rockville location except the non-refrigerated items are at the front of the entrance. Took some pics that are found in their business profile yelp.com/biz_photos/Fhii… Wow, within twenty minutes, their parking section was packed. Munch time... I mean, lunch time. This head store is here to stay.
(4)Ross S.
Hours of Operation: Mon-Thurs 7:00 AM-11:00 PM Fri-Sat 7:00 AM - 12:00 AM Sun 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM I like the idea that consumers can taste the product before buying it. At least you know what you are buying.
(4)Brittany H.
DAMN, I forget how massive their bingsoos are here...My personal favorites were the banana and green tea...(before the fro-yo hype). Naturally, I was very much inclined to try their yogurt (holy crap at a whopping $9.50???? a little bit highway robbery don't you think? this better be something special) OMG, it was so massive that I just had to take a picture to share with you all. I couldn't stop laughing ... a friend and I had just came back from dinner. The thing was ginormous, BUT to my surprise, we made a pretty good dent in it. The base layers were whipped with corn flakes, honey dew, strawberries, bananas, peaches and shaved ice, swirled around with the yogurt. In all essence, yogurt is like ZERO fat calories..... all the meat seemed to be sitting on the bottom. I don't say no to sugar, esp. when I'm pretty sure it's healthier than my normal monstrosity of choices. Now that I am thinking about it.... For half as much, I would not nearly get half of all that crap with iceberry.... so I guess for that, it's decently priced, but you can definitely share that with 2-3 people! Sadly, we didn't finish ours.... Oh yes, they have small Korean baked goodies, cakes and coffee too. Tables within the cafe setting if you are in no hurry to go anywhere. Watch your damn order come out in the "pick-up" section....we had quite a wait on our hands, apparently ours was given away because we didn't hear our number.....
(4)Jade T.
I had trouble deciding what to get for dessert, as there seemed to be a lack of labels in front of most of the cakes in the display fridge. I decided to go with the Strawberry Mousse. (Bingsoo was on my mind, but tofu soup was -very- filling!) I've never had anything like this. Chocolate mousse, duh, I've had plenty of time before... but strawberry? It was so light, but not too fluffy. Sweet, and tastes of artificial strawberry (which isn't bad - do you complain over strawberry Pocky's flavor?). A vanilla cake serves as the base of the mousse, giving it some "substance". It was a tiny piece, but it was very rich. Neither my friend and I could finish the last bite. Then again, he was on the verge of upchucking from overeating earlier, and I naturally have a small appetite. (I honestly didn't try anything else, but you can read the other, more thorough Yelp reviews.)
(4)Sam H.
Aww it's summer time... I gotta start my craving for bing soo... only if fro yo didn't get in the way... lol Well I used to come here often for bing soo. I have to say this place is standard bing soo. It isn't any monstrosity of Dolce but... if you want something light... and this not be the main event... It does it's job. :) Enough ice with a generous porition of duk and fruit ( you might have to ask for duk) Plus this place is right next to all the good korean restaurants so... if you want dessert.. come check it out. :) The bakery is also generous in their selection. They have a sample section you can try if you'd like Oh yeah the fro you... this place had it before the whole famous crazy began. So... it's the pretty standard fro yo place. Come here to enjoy some fro yo, bing soo, or some baked goods with coffee. :)I fyou have good company and want to talk... come here. :)
(4)Jin K.
Very rude, non-existent customer service. Instead of greeting customers, employees behind the checkout counter continued with their chit chatting while making us--the customers---feel like we're interrupting them. Further, tables are placed too closely together. I recommend patronizing other bakeries in Annandale.
(1)john b.
Had their red bean Paht Bing Soo.. its wonderful during the spring/summer months... shaved ice, fresh fruit, small bits of asian rice cake, red bean paste, some type of cream, and a light brown powder (don't remember the name but i believe its a type of grain). From my experience, its better during the summer as the fruits are in season rather than in the winter when they're more likely to use canned fruits (which is still ok but can't compare to fresh fruit). I haven't tried the one at Le Matin de Paris so I can't compare. I also tried the turkey-artichoke sandwich which was pretty good.
(4)PC W.
The $6.50 price tag for a strawberry bingsoo is much more justifiable than a similarly-sized one at Dolce for $8.50. However, I think the fruit at Dolce is fresher. The ice cream quality is comparable. I do not like red bean paste and there were multiple pockets of it in the bingsoo. I'll just have to ask them to hold it next time but for all you red bean paste lovers like Keri M., you're getting more for your money than Dolce's strawberry bingsoo.
(4)Kathleen M.
Having never had bingsoo, I let Jeff W. do the ordering, as he was on a mission. The thought of fruit and shaved ice seemed pretty simple to me, but I didn't understand paying nearly $7 for it. Still, I subsidized his request. :) The ice tasted like ice and the fruit tasted like syrupy fruit. Within seconds we had a soupy fruit cocktail on our hands, and no one wants that! It appeared that the bingsoos that included ice cream lasted folks a bit longer, and I think I'd opt for one of them if I were to return to Shilla... although the pineapple I sampled totally weirded me out. Was it ice cream? Custard? Sorbet? Yogurt? I have no idea, but I wasn't sold.
(3)J H.
In 2009 I rated this 5 stars. In 2009, there was nothing else. Now, one star minused since there are better! Yay for competition! I am not a fan of their pastries. Though I sneak in samples often. I like the boba but I am preferenced to Taiwan's original liquid form (Not super fan of smoothie-like drinks) - oh and it's also more expensive as smoothie-d. This is the only chill-loungey like place I know that I can get satisfying bing-soo. Win for the bingsoo!
(4)Roll T.
First, let me do my best to describe bingsoo because if you are not Korean, then it probably doesn't help for me to keep mentioning bingsoo as until my visit to Shilla Bakery, I had no idea what it meant or that it was even something that people eat. If you look in the photograph section for Shilla Bakery, you will find large piles of ice and syrup over fruit. These humongous desserts are indeed bingsoo. Think of it as a more convenient method for stating, "large ice, fruit, syrup, red bean paste, and ice cream combination." See, that isn't too easy. Strawberry bingsoo is much easier on the tongue. Speaking of the tongue, depending on how you order, it could either be delighted or let down. I'd suggest going with the strawberry flavored bingsoo. It comes with tasty strawberry ice cream, loads of ice, and a pile of strawberries at the bottom (it should be noted that the fruit here could have been more fresh). You can do all sorts of flavors -- there was a green tea one that I thought might be promising and there was the fruit one that I tried that just didn't hit the spot. The dessert is cheap here. It was less than $8, and it easily serves two people (possibly three if you are judicious). Other competing places have more expensive bingsoo, but from all accounts, it appears that those places might be better (Dolce, Let Matin de Paris, etc.). I won't know which one is the best unless and until I visit all of them, but I can say that while the novelty factor is interesting, the all-important taste of Shilla's dessert was pretty much what I expected and unfortunately uncompelling.
(3)Lily L.
Shilla is a Korean bakery that offers an assortment of cakes, breads, and drinks (coffee, fruit drinks, etc). I have only gone there to buy the individually wrapped breads/cakes and a wedding cake. I think their prices for those items are reasonably priced, especially for the wedding cake. If you are interested in purchasing an Asian cream cake for any occasion (birthday, graduation, wedding, etc), I would recommend checking out Shilla. If you do not speak Korean, I would warn you that I had some minor difficultly conveying what I wanted. I just had to repeat myself on a few requests, so it was nothing traumatic.
(3)Trish A.
I wouldn't go as far as a recent reviewer giving Annandale's Shilla just 1 star because it didn't have as many samples (which really just depends on how many people came before you wanting to eat samples, and this location is ALWAYS busy, so..) as Centreville's location, which is entirely "more better." I will say that some of the full cakes are pricey, but a lot of effort and ingredients go into them so they're a good splurge for special occasions. I agree that bingsoos can have too much ice sometimes. The boba drinks are usually great, except the last time the bf and i went, we ordered thai tea w boba and it tasted like thai tea's severely mutated sibling who's shackled and hidden down in the basement a la "The Goonies," bc it was syrupy, bitter hell. Sall good, we ordered honeydew instead free of charge. Good display of customer service, which, if you didn't know, is rare when it comes to korean food establishments. I come from the land of kimchi, so trust me. All in all, decent krn bakery w a wide selection of sweets. Excuse the annoying abbrevs, totes writing this on my dud of a phone right now. Touchscreen makes it hard to type. First world problems yo
(3)Tony P.
So the Carnie Crew ended up coming here after being disappointed by Le Matin de Paris. There were several variations of Bing Soo. I didn't try any myself, but the other Carnie Crew got mini-Vesuvian mounds of Bing Soo. I opted for the almond cream pastry. It was ok, unless I've got a hankering for Bing Soo, I think I'll stick with a real french patisserie.
(3)Laila L.
Can't beat their yogurt bingsoo. bopbingsoo (whatever that was that i ordered at the andong chicken place in daegu) plus korean tangy yogurt. nummy! if you go after your bbq or bonchon dinner on the weekends, or even late night during the week, it will be crowded. and there will probably be only 1 or 2 of the red bean pastries you were looking forward to all week left in the wicker baskets. but it's an awesome place to get more food to soak up the soju, especially if you don't have the energy for the norebong. and hey, who cares if they look at me like the crazy not-korean girl getting all hot and bothered about their desserts. (they acted like it was weird for me to ask for cornflakes on the red bean bingsoo). i got $10 in my pocket and a mission on my mind.
(4)John K.
Shilla Bakery is one of the best bakeries in the Northern Virginia area, hands down. I'll tell you why. The prices are very reasonable, considering what kind of ingredients go in/on the baked goods and dessert. And the portions are just right or a little bit more than what you will pay for -- you will not be disappointed with the amount you're getting with what you're paying for. The presentation and decoration of the cakes, buns, bread, dessert is excellent. This is greatly due to the Korean-style baking method -- "Look good, taste good". Especially if you have a boyfriend/girlfriend or another loved one and it's a special occasion, I would definitely recommend purchasing a cake from here -- It will impress them hands down. There are many locations in the northern Virginia area under Shilla and they all meet the exemplary status that Shilla bestows, but I think the main bakery is located in Annandale, Virginia. I recommend this place to anyone who is in the Fairfax/DC area to give a visit to Shilla and enjoy what Shilla has to offer. Thumbs up!
(5)Jeff W.
I've given Dolce 2 stars because of their absurdly high prices, but I actually prefer their bingsoo over Shilla's, despite the larger portion at Shilla. Shilla gives you a huge mountain, but there is much less fresh fruit, at least in the fruit bingsoo. It seemed that the majority of fruit was canned! Del Monte fruit cocktail bingsoo? No thanks. The price is right, and the baked goods I sampled were pretty good, but there has to be better bingsoo out there that is around the same price, I just don't know where it is!
(3)Stephanie T.
This place reminds me of when I was in high school, where the in place to go was Coffee or Tea? and Panya (both in Hawaii).I remember staying for hours at a time sipping away on bubble drinks gossiping, shrieking (I was one irritating girl), giggling, and all the things we find irritating about teeny boppers. The exact same atmosphere can be found at Shilla. So if you're like me and had similar high school experience, you can come here to relive it again. BTW -The potato cake, sponge cupcake, and cream pan are all delicious. -Try to stay away from the mango bubble drink....it doesn't taste like mango...it's more of a mystery favor. -Love French toast? The Japanese bread is perfect for making it. -If you get the bingsoo be sure to bring at least three people or a big appetite, it's pretty big. My bf and I thought we had the "black hole stomach syndrome" but we stand corrected. -The baked goods mold fast, so try to eat it fast or put it the fridge in an air tight bag
(4)Hass L.
Give the girl who reco'd the Butter Bread a GOLD STAR. That shizz is dangerous. I think I ate the entire thing in about two sittings. Kinda felt sick afterwards. Piece of advice: spread the butter, spread the love! (Since the butter cream is in the center of the loaf, which itself is like a giant sliced, nouvau-riche twinkie... take some of the excess and redistribute it to other less fortunate parts of the loaf. On a per-slice-basis, like any decent liberal socialist.) RE: The Fro Yo. Not as good as the Pinkberry wannabes in the district. But no demerit to this place since it is a delicious bakery first and foremost.
(4)Go K.
Date Attended: Saturday, 01/09/10 Lots of delicious bakery foods. Strawberry shortcake was delicious. Chocolate pound cake was good too. Kick back, relax, and enjoy!
(4)William L.
Love the fresh pastries, bread, bday cakes, bingsu... free wifi and definitely more character than a starbucks... just have to be used to the k-pop music though...
(4)Daniel H.
Poor service and worst bingsoo i ever had in the va area... Would not recommend this place.. There's a more quiet coffee shop called dolce right next door..
(1)Karman L.
Another place for Bingsoo....it's a little bit cheaper than Dolce. $6.50 here vs. $8.50 at Dolce. Maybe it's my imagination...I think the portion is a bit bigger here. I had the red bean bingsoo here (remember...this one doesn't have any ice-cream in it!)
(4)Genny R.
I LOVE SHILLA BAKERY! The beautiful cakes and patisseries are more for display then for buying because they're all so pricey. I admit I was a bit intimidated at first, but after a quick walk around the store (and a few of the amazing free samples) I was grabbing random items into a basket. My favorite is the white bean donut . The red bean donut, red bean bread, cream soboro (the filling is amazing!), mocha cake and the tapioca bread are also really good. The best thing about the bread is that it's never too sweet and they don't have that "I've lived in this plastic bag for a month" flavor that some asian bakeries have. Unfortunately I was not so happy with my cantaloupe boba that I bought. The balls were kinda' stale. But they did flavor the balls with something sweet so it wasn't too bad. The yogurt was also kind of a let down. BUT MY FAVORITE FAVORITE THING ABOUT SHILLA BAKERY: The bing-soo is amazing. I love the red bean version. I swear every time I find a mochi ball I got excited. My friend had the coffee bing-soo and it was good with the corn flakes, while my other friend got strawberry. Shilla has the cheapest bing-soo in the area and I really like it. Don't get the yogurt bing-soo though because their yogurt clashes with the sweet condensed milk.
(4)Su K.
After gorging at Oegadgib for more than 2 hours and splitting a Dolce bingsoo between 3, I was really full but incredibly thirsty. Koreandale must be one of the only places on earth that doesn't have a convenient 7-11, so I decide to stop into Shilla and get a bubble tea. Having spent all my cash going dutch w/ other Yelpers, I was dismayed to see the $5 minimum for credit card sign. I was even more dismayed to find out that my bubble tea was $5.20 after tax. I ordered the sour green apple, thinking that I would get green tea w/ sour apple flavoring, but instead, I got a giant green apple blowpop smoothie w/ boba instead of a gumball center. It was refreshing, albeit a little too sour, and the blowpop-esque flavor had me nostalgic on the drive home. But for some odd reason, I began humming along to, "whatever it is, I think I see, becomes a Tootsie Roll to me," as I couldn't remember the blow pop ad. As far as their baked goods, it may be a bit alarming, but their perishable goods stored at room temperature are surprisingly good*. I enjoy the pizza bread but my all time favorite is the Veggie Bread (yah che bbang). Decor is not as slick as Dolce but I think the bingsoo and baked goods are better here. The parking lot is an absolute nightmare if all the spots directly in front of Shilla are taken. *Note: Su K. is not responsible for any food-borne illnesses or explosive diarrhea resulting from consuming improperly stored food items.
(3)Adam Y.
IDK what it is about this place but everything is good there. Their coffee is literally the best coffee i have ever had. I'm a big fan of their white mocha. It's 4/5 dollar coffee but worth it. The one main draw for this place is the red bean ice (sorry my konglish is pretty bad.... they have a lot of different combinations of this ice treat. they have fruit, ice cream, and pretty much everything in between. It's a very generous portion and can be shared with 4 to 5 people. i suggest going to ilmee and then finishing the night with some shilla :D if you haven't been here yet... i suggest you go soon :D
(4)Patrick S.
Here's a good rule: if I've ordered something twenty times and you botch making it, don't tell keep telling me that's how it is supposed to be. Marginally clean bathrooms, tight parking, great bing soo, decent pastry. Staff is adequate but if there is an issue with the order (like them forgetting to cook your sandwich) they can be remarkably unfriendly. Stopped going here for me Korean bakery needs after discovering other friendlier places. Also, no outlets for your laptop. Don't ask. They get mad.
(2)Chris M.
For the Haiku fans: Strawberry Bing Soo The things you did to my tongue Let's do it again
(4)christine c.
Poor customer service--unless you are Korean, then you'll be treated with respect. Dry baked goods unless you come in a few hours after they open.
(1)A. C.
Totally disappointed, period. They might have tons of samples to try, but their customer service is just terrible, horrible, and the worst. They are usually so-so but I went there around 10:30pm. First I heard a female employee complaining (it was kind of loud) in Korean saying "I just want to close the store right now." Okay, I understand that employees get tired because it's getting late, but please please do not blame on customers!!! I knew how much I had in my gift card, but the disgruntled casher made a mistake - she forgot to charge sale tax when she swiped my gift card. Instead, she yelled at me that my gift card didn't have enough money in it. Well, everyone was looking at us as soon as she yelled at me. She seemed to be pretty upset and I told her I did have enough money in my gift card. She responded "really?" and didn't any anything anymore. Luckily I was there with my parents and they paid the rest in cash (I didn't have cash so I told her to charge more on my credit card then she said I have to buy more to swipe as the leftover amount was less than their minimum for credit card transaction). So I received my bubble tea and I was disappointed again. As soon as I grabbed it, it started leaking and I ruined my left sleeve. I realized they used a broken plastic top. I quickly wiped the cup with napkins and I told the employees that the bubble tea plastic lid was broken. When they saw the bubble tea dripping out of the cup, one employee simply changed the top, then gave it to me. the cup was still sticky and the bubble tea juice was dripping. They said nothing about what happened to me. Not even a word "sorry." My father got pretty angry at the employees after seeing what happened to me. He said something about their bad customer service and the employees pretty much ignored him. I used to work in a similar restaurant before, and I would get fired if I did this to my customers. I would never do what they did to me even if I was dead tired. Do NOT go there when it's getting late (or crowded). I'm warning you.
(1)Jae K.
Went for a boba tea with a friend. It was alright, a bit on the pricier end, maybe it's cuz I'm used to having it from LA area.
(3)Kelvin F.
Asian? Trying to be Asian? Shilla is a good start and the perfect place to grab a post-Korean BBQ dessert. The Asian style shaved ice is delicious and comes with your choice of toppings such as condensed milk, red/green bean, mochi, ice cream, and a variety of others. The cakes and bread are fantastic but a bit pricey. Steer clear of the bubble tea though unless you're into the slush type. It also gets quite crowded on weekend nights so expect a wait if you're trying to sit down and chill.
(4)Ina C.
I was a little disappointed with the bingsoo here. When I order a strawberry bingsoo at the Shilla in Rockville, I'm given a humaaangous bowl with all kinds of goodies like Fruit Loops, dduk (rice cakes) and even other kinds of complementing fruit. I don't even remember some of the crazy and awesome things they put in. Here in Annandale, though, all I got was the standard ice cream, shaved ice, syrup and dduk. Still good, but I feel like they could step it up a bit more. Of course, I can't deny that Shilla anywhere is always a great place to come and hang out.
(4)John R.
Let me preface my review by saying I don't ordinarily like frozen yogurt or ice cream. What does that have to do with a bakery review?? Everything. I was dragged out here on a Sunday afternoon to try their frozen yogurt. And I have to say, it was pretty damn good, probably the best I've ever had. My only complaint is that the choice of flavors (toppings) was severely limited, but I enjoyed mine none the less. Basically, you choose you fruit topping and it's scooped on a heaping serving of frozen yogurt. The frozen yogurt tastes like someone put fresh yogurt in an ice cream machine and turned it into soft serve, with that refreshing tangy aftertaste. Seriously, I never crave ice cream, but I'd drive out there again right now if I could get another serving (for breakfast!). My only critique would be that they add chocolate to their list of toppings (not picky - chocolate sprinkles, chocolate syrup, snowcaps, even oreo chunks). Ok, I'm not much of a purist. I can live with the strawberries. But it is worth a trip out there. Other than that, you can check out the other reviews for the bakery items. We got quite a selection of interesting things (if you're into asian baked goods) but I can't remember the names of anything to describe them... :)
(4)Kat T.
Their bingsoo is the best in the area, and while the cakes are really expensive, are very cute and look as well as taste better than grocery store cake. I also like their frozen yogurt. You can get pretty full on free samples alone, and my favorite item on the shelves is a sweet roll that tastes like it has baked peanut butter cookie on top of it.
(4)paul l.
This place is your standard korean bakery... if you like korean pastries than this is the place for you! It gets PACKED on a weekend night, so you will have to wait for a table. it seems like the main item had by people here is the shaved ice, which is called bingsoo in korean. but honestly, they have so many kinds of bingsoo, it's hard to choose! if i was a young teen, or college person even, i would love hanging out here on the weekends. but as a guy my age, i think that it's not really my social scene. i guess annandale really has no places you can walk to, which is a big gripe of mine. It's kind of depressing the way the whole place looks. but I guess this is a happy spot amidst a depressing land scape.
(3)Eugene H.
Cool and interesting pastries here. I got the red bean bingsoo which is pretty similar to Taiwanese shaved ice except the toppings are on the bottom where as the Taiwanese ones I'm used to have the toppings on top of the shaved ice. Aside from that, red bean, condensed milk, some other fruit and you have yourself a nice dessert perfect for the summertime!
(4)Brendan J.
The good I haven't tried the bingsu at the Centreville or Rockville locations so I can't compare, but I think it is pretty good here. The green tea one or the fruit ones are good. It seems like they only give you bingsu ddeok (soft chewy pieces of sweetened rice cake) sometimes though. The frozen yogurt thing was pretty good too. The baked goods are pretty standard for Korean bakeries, but they do them well. I really like the chestnut bread, and they have good butter cream buns. There are several flavors (mocha, vanilla, strawberry, soboro cream...), but all the butter cream versions all sort of taste the same to me. None of my Korean friends seem to know what 'soboro' means, but in Japanese it means minced, so maybe it is minced cream? I dunno. The butter cream stuffed bread (is it brioche?) is kind of delicious and nasty at the same time in it's artery clogging extravagance. I refuse to buy it since if we have it at home I keep eating it even though it is basically white bread, sugar, and butter. The not so good I like Shilla, but I think they've been slacking or coasting for a while since it is so popular. If you get any of the breads, check to make sure it is fresh!!! I don't think they're so scrupulous about throwing out or even checking day old products. I've come across butter cream buns that had mold on them, and I received a roll cake as a gift that was totally moldy. It was boxed and probably from the fridge section, so I guess the person who gave it to us didn't check first, but nasty! and sadly unedible.
(3)Michael B.
They always have an assortment of samples, awesome place. Huge selection, everything is very good. Must try the ice cream and the pat bing soo is verry very good. I tried the red bean and strawberry, I think that the red bean is probably better. The strawberry is very creamy. I like the rice cake that is inside the bing soo. The portion is big enough for 2 people too!
(4)DeeDee O.
Cozy atmosphere & nice decor. Wide selection of pastries that are just all right -- they're a little bit on the pricey side. I think the cakes are cute too, but I don't think the small ones are worth the amount that Shilla's selling it for. One of the best parts? Free samples! Yay for freebies! Oh & bing soo! It's HUGE & very delicious! Good price/value if you share with someone. I was very disappointed with the bubble tea. I don't exactly know how to describe it...But it's so stiff! Like it's a way over-whipped smoothie! Not only that, but it's pricey! Definitely not one of my fav. parts. I'd rather order my bubble tea from Maria's Bakery.
(3)Janet H.
i like it, and there's this one bread there that i absolutely love (it has the flaky crisps sandwiched between really soft sponge cake layers, with a bit of whipped buttercream in between). tho i do have to warn, their whipped buttercream is VERY buttery, which sometimes is overkill. tho i'd go back for that flaky soft cake thing-a-ma-bob (oof.. i need to find it's name..)
(4)Melody C.
had to give this a separate review from the rockville one because this one is so different... they sell the same stuff but they're bigger, always more crowded and bumpin'...the bakery stockpile is larger, and it's not as good a place to study as the other shilla since it's so much more busy. i like the soft spongecakes and the mousse desserts...
(4)Leon Y.
Sorry, this place is just not what it used to be anymore. Super crowded and the bing su is NOT as good as it used to be anymore. These days, I head over to Breeze. I think they have much better selections and the quality is better.
(3)Deborah H.
Delicious sweets and drinks! Better (unsurprisingly) and cheaper than stuff I can find in KTown, NYC! I would have totally loaded up had I the appetite and/or space and/or methods to bring the snacks back home. Instead I greedily helped myself to the samples generously offered throughout the store. I especially liked the cherry vanilla cake! My friends treated me to Korean shaved ice, which was super delish, albeit rather inappropriate for the weather this time of year. Fresh and canned fruits, red beans, condensed milk, mochi rice cakes... Ahh! It was worth the freezer-burn in my esophagus. The only teeny gripe is that the ice could have been fluffier.
(4)Joohee K.
Usually we head over here after Honey Pig to eat pat bing soo or bubble tea. Both of which are just mediocre if not less than. The pastries are good though, and you could just buy a bunch and hibernate in your humble abode.
(3)Andrea C.
I've never had Korean baked goods before, so I can't speak about the authenticity of the pastries, but authentic or not they are delicious. They have a bunch of free samples out (so many you can almost get full on just them!) so you can try things before you buy them if you're not familiar with Korean baked goods. They also have a pastry case with things like tiramisu (delicious!) and other very tempting and decadent looking desserts. I've also had their smoothies with boba in them and they are delicious. A lot of different varieties. Also if you have any questions they're really willing to help you. It's been ridiculously crowded every time I've gone though, and a few times I haven't been able to get a seat, so I wish they had a little bigger seating area.
(4)Tuan N.
Best Korean bakery in Nova
(5)Tommy M.
Love the patbingsoo in the summer. They make a big bowl that's perfect for sharing. Otherwise, the various sweet concoctions go great with a coffee. There are comfortable, cushioned seats here. Shilla usually has free samples for many of the baked goods.
(4)Charming P.
2nd visit here- love the cheese pound cake & pineapple cake!!! Wish they open a store in Loudoun County;)
(5)Christine P.
Try the mocha cake. To die for~~~!!! I don't think the service is that great... I go to this bakery at least once a week and do not get much smiles from anyone. Maybe Shawna got the "let's be nice to the foreigner" treatment? *^^* Watch out for the water temperature in your hot drinks. It is much hotter than your customary Starbucks coffee/tea. Try the Green Tea Latte. Sometimes a little too sweet for my taste but still yummy~!
(3)Christine T.
The boyfriend and I always come over to Shilla's for Bingsoo post pig out at Ill Mee. We always get Red bean Bingsoo with an extra scoop of green tea ice cream. The service is always nice and the bingsoo never dissapoints (whether it be summer or winter). I've tried many of the pastries and they always taste fresh, but beware if you come too late you'll miss out.
(4)Don S.
Maybe I am premature in my rating? I bought a lot of stuff - more than I should have really! Even though I lived in Korea in the 80's and 90's, I don't recall these type of fancy bakery products. I mostly stopped at road stops for my gim bap or my cabbage burgers. However, I did live in bigger cities in Japan more recently, and this bakery reminds me of Japanese bakery products. I really love it! I have driven by this location a few times before but never stopped by. I do need to go more often. They have all of my favorites from Japanese bakeries, such as Castella cakes, bean filled pastries, and more. The products are mostly somewhat fresh, perhaps not quite freshly baked daily? Some of the signs were missing off the products. Otherwise, if not for these two blemishes, I would have given 5 stars. Best feature of all, staff members are sincerely friendly! When they say "hi" or "hello", it feels like they are saying it because they want to say it, not because it's part of their script or job. It felt really nice to be approached in that manner. I'd show this place off to friends as a model showplace for American bakeries to follow!
(4)Sophia K.
Korean style ice coffee is the BOMB here! Just the right amount of sweet & cream. Go between 10 - 11 am and everything is fresh and HOT. Any style Binsoo (Korean Style Ice Shave) is perfect at Shilla! They pile high the toppings and the bowl is big enough to share amongst 3-4 people depending on how much each person eats. Not expensive and you can def. eat and chill there. Can't forget the beautiful cakes they make! Def not like your typical American cake which can be really really sweet. Must check it out! GO!
(4)Andrew H.
ahhh...a return to my childhood. coming from a population full of asians, i have been craving a good serving of boba and shaved ice and asian cakes and whatnots. and all it took was 3 years for me to make my way out to annandale to shilla's bakery. it normally takes a significant event for me to venture outside my diamond of a district, but i think my cravings for some quality asian desserts may force me into virginia a bit more often.
(4)jason k.
This place is like you are in Korea, They have all kinds of bake goods, bing soo, cakes and so many things with pretty K-girls specially weekend night. good place to hang out, but not good place to talk or enjoy cup of coffee, too busy and very loud
(5)Tan H.
This is the first time I'd ever describe boba as 'crunchy'. But they Green Tea shake I had was decent and the bakery items seem to be on par with other asian bakeries. Other goodies of note: *Red Bean shake *Shaved ice with fruit
(3)Phoebe C.
A great place to go with friends, although weekend nights can get really crowded without places to sit. It is a bit pricey for some fruit ice and icecream in the bingsoo, but at least it tastes good. Their boba is also tasty and their pastries are delishh.
(4)Kate M.
Their pat bing soo was huge and delicious and only $6.50! So much better than Koryodang in Manhattan where a small, painfully average pat bing soo (I can easily finish it on my own and look around hungry for more) costs over $10 including tax and tip. My husband and I could barely finish one. Could have used a little more mochi, but I'm not sure if a pat bing soo could ever have enough mochi for me. We also got some Korean pastries to go and were pleased with all of them. I especially recommend their tapioca breads and "rice bean" (that's what it was called, it's a chewy, dduk-like bread filled with red bean paste and chestnuts, delicious.)
(4)KeL L.
I decided to come here with my family for an evening snack. Well, We ordered hot paninis for everyone drinks, and yogurt ice cream. They gave us the drinks right away, then we sat awaiting for our sandwiches, about 15 minutes later the cashier comes up to us and tells us the grill machine is not working and that she can substitute our sandwiches for "wraps" or give us the money back. Well, so I ordered 2 wraps and a ham and cheese sandwich, and I specifically told her I just want very little mayo and swiss cheese. Another 15 mins go by, our food was ready, and my sandwich was full of mayo and no swiss cheese. That really upset me, but I didn't complain because I didn't want these people to fool around with my food behind close doors. My family was not in the mood for wraps, they were not that great either they ate only half of it. The yogurt ice cream was VERY SOUR! I won't be coming here again ..for sandwiches... maybe just to buy a pastry or sweet bread...but won't eat there. Poor customer service.. I told my family this was a good place but they were dissapointed.
(2)Jill H.
After ordering a strawberry & honeydew bubble tea, or bobba tea as they call, it wasn't surprising that the place was packed on a cool breezy spring Saturday evening. Typically, I hate bubble tea, but my friend ordered the honeydew one and it looked so good, I had to try it. It was amazing!!! The flavor was dead on, the consistency was that of a milk shake, and the tapicoa beads were tasty. It did cost $4.20, but it was certainly worth it. I don't think that is more expensive than any other place anyway. I will be going back!
(5)Marlene S.
MMM...bingsoo and bubble tea. They def. have pretty good bingsoo. Their bubble teas are a little pricey. Love their bakery items though, but I might be a bit bias since I love carbs. My bf got my mom this bread that had little black sesame seeds in it, it was sure yummy and more on the savory side. I have also tried their red bean mochi that is pretty good.
(4)Sera C.
This place is always packed. The baked goods/pastries are fresh and reasonably priced. Bingsoo is great to share (ask for extra mochi). I would go down the street to the Paris bakery for cakes though.
(4)Rob M.
Fantastic Korean bakery in Annandale. I'm a huge fan of the cream buns, the bubble tea, and of course, the samples! My girlfriend even got my birthday cake from here last year. I wish every day was my birthday!
(5)Shine S.
Great desserts! Not too sweet and looks very nice. Baked goods, flavored ice, etc. it's all good. No complaints and I highly recommend!
(5)Helene K.
Korean bakery packed full of all kinds of Asian sweets, i.e., castella, creme rolls, cookies, breads, etc. They also have boba here, although it's only served frozen (unlike the boba I have found in SF...). However, it's a pretty nice cafe/bakery. Good for hanging out with your friends after karaoke. =)
(3)Sam R.
Yes, if you're Korean you probably already know about this place -- and most likely your mom knows someone's sister/uncle/daughter of a son's 3rd cousin who knows the owner. Not that it ever will get you a hook up at this place because of it! Anyway, this is the go to bakery for the Korean community in VA. The breads usually aren't overly sweet ... and the butter cream fillings can take some getting used to (tastes more like cream then icing). The vegetable filled turnovers are pretty tasty, and from what I can tell vegetarian. Slightly greasy, yes, but good. The bean filled pastries are OK, but I'm not a big bean fan. Cakes are usually tasty as well ... God knows I've eaten enough of them over the years!
(5)Cara B.
Deeee-lish. I love their patbingsoo, and they have a great selection of pastries/cakes. This is my go-to place when I'm either too full to eat (I always have room for bingsoo) or it's too hot to eat (again, bingsoo ftw).
(4)caroline k.
Love this place. First came here when my friend's jaw dropped when he found out I'd never had Bubble Tea before and thought Shilla was the best place to get my bubble on. I had the car, he had the funds, and off to Korea we went, I meant Annandale, maybe... Anyways, Shilla is a cute little bakery, with delicous lil samples. Bought a few different cookies and breads, a bit overpriced, but what isn't in NoVa anymore? Their Bubble Tea, should be called Bubble smoothie, still great nonetheless, but gives you a better idea of what it is. The Bubble Tea at A & J's is more like what I would imagine "Bubble Tea" to be. I was fascinated by the oversized straws, I guess that was when my ADHD was kickin in.. So, overall I rate this place YUM.
(4)kei c.
Their breads taste similar to other Korean-Euro-style bakeries in the area; generally good. I got a honey-dew bobba and it tasted great. I don't recommend the mousse desserts. They tend to taste overly sweet. The bingsoo's are great and they have a fun variety. I can't really say that this has any advantage over any others, but there aren't any glaring weaknesses, too. ETA: Editing this rating (down 2 stars) for the lax service in recent months. It used to be that you'd enter and some nice ladies would welcome you. Now, you have to stare them down to get them to acknowledge your presence. Maybe all the nice workers went back to school? In any case, are they using cheaper bread for the panini's, too? *sigh*
(2)Mariah S.
The very first thing my eyes went towards as soon as I entered the place was a couple of sampler plates of freshly baked cakes and muffins, and OMFG, so oishi (delicious in Japanese) and moist like their pineapple, chocolate, and cheese cakes. I also tried their castilla cake and instantly fell deep in love with this place. sorry to my favorite chinese bakery in rowland heights, ca, but you have been officially dumped. The fluffiness and delicateness of cake with the very light cream filling was more than I could handle so I purchased it right away. In fact, the day I went here, I had just finished stuffing my face at IlMee next door. It was like 94 degrees outside, and I still had some shopping to do. So I didn't dare leave my precious cake in the car, and brought it in the stores with me, placing it carefully in my shopping cart (which I did not leave unattended at any time). Anyways, this review is about Shilla. The bakery is quaint, well organized (there are straw baskets you pick up to place your items), and plenty of seating should you wish to nosh there. There were so many items to choose from, and the quality and appearance of the products reminded me of bakeries when I used to live in the Far East. Just look at the pictures posted, and they speak volumes. Oh, I also ordered a cup of a regular coffee which needless to say left me sighing because, they did right there too. Steaming, hot, and flavorful, a perfect brew. Next visit, you'll find me in the corner hunkered over a cup of coffee in one hand, a newspaper in the other, and a plate of either their savory pumpkin nut muffin or a soft, sugary donut twist. That would be an ideal way to begin my Saturday morning.
(5)Viet D.
Butter Bread, Butter Bread...oh how I love my Butter Bread. I get one thing only everytime I come...ok two things...the Butter Bread and the Castenella (sp?) cupcakes...yummy in my tummy! The Butter Bread is a loaf of buttery soft bread that has a smooth, creamy butter creme slathered inside...it sounds like a heart attack, but it is so good. The other thing I get is the cupcakes that come with no frosting, are very spongy and come in a pack of 6. I haven't tried anything else there because I am not a fan of bread stuffed with beans or bread with nuts on top...but it is a clean place and always packed with Koreans. Go where the Koreans go...you will find good food.
(4)Christina C.
I think I was on a sugar rush, and since this was my first Korean bakery visit in Annandale, the presentation of all sugary goodness/various breaded, dessert fluffiness were all very inviting. So I randomly ended up consuming a small yogurt with kiwi pieces, and took home a small chocolate mousse with blueberries... a bit pricey, but the chocolate mousse presentation was cute -I wouldn't buy it again though. I'll come back and try their different types of breads and bing soo. It's a great place to come and hangout with friends, have a cup of coffee, munch on some baked goods with great conversations =)
(4)Helen H.
This bakery harkens me back to my elementary school days trolling Korean supermarkets in CA for baked goods with my family. I love love love the sweet (but not too sweet) breads and the desserts look amazing. The boba teas are good, too (tried the green tea and the cappuccino (a little too sweet for my taste)). I went on a Sunday afternoon and it was packed. If I had a car, I'd be there at least once a week. If only it were easier to get there.
(4)Sarah S.
Several enjoyable return trips to Shilla -- along with the abundant free samples available during my last visit -- prompted me to update this review. Try the cinnamon buns, miniature red bean cakes, and almond sable cookies. Everything tastes as if it had been baked just hours earlier, and most of the pastries seem to use only basic, natural ingredients. Better still, the variety of goods on offer seems to change daily, making me excited to walk in the door and see what's new.
(4)Tammy L.
I prefer this place when it's not so busy and you don't have to be a shark on the hunt for a table. When it's busy, it gets pretty loud and I don't feel like staying for long. Bing-soo: too much for me to handle, but it's good. They don't skimp on the condensed milk, which is my favorite part. Definitely share this with someone. Reasonably priced. Parfait: tasty, but a little too filling. I don't know how someone could eat an entire cup of that (though I think there is a picture of me floating around somewhere with a mostly finished parfait and an "I'm so full" face). I don't remember how much this costs. Cakes/sweets: not too sweet (good), but I don't find them that memorable (not good). I think you could do just as well getting one of those dirt cheap coffee-cake-roll-things at Kam Sam, Maria's, Stella, or some other Asian bakery. It won't be as pretty, but you won't be paying some ridiculous price for whipped cream ribbons, an old strawberry sliced into a fan, and a doily that actually costs $0.05. Bun things: Same as other places I've tried. The one I had was fresh, so no complaints here. Frozen Yogurt: Yay! It's Pinkberry style! They skimped on my raspberries... oh well. I care not because I've been craving Pinkberry. $2.65 or something like that for a small that is more like a medium, includes 1 topping. Double yay! This place is open late, which is really nice. I was even there on a Sunday some time around 10.
(3)T N.
I usually come here for the bingsoo but recently they have disappointed me a great deal. They are usually very crowded so we end up ordering to go. EVERYTIME we order to go they end up forgetting to put something in my bingsoo like the syrup or the rice cakes. I mean...it's not hard to put in the ingredients. The bingsoo is at a reasonable price, if you compare it to Ben & Jerry's icecream but the cakes like the mango mousse are a bit on the expensive side. It's like $4.50 for a piece that could fit through the crack of my teeth -_-
(2)Jane A.
The bakery is a nice atmosphere and the baked goods are a five star! I love korean bread period. But my first impression of this place was this one lady employee was so rude and had an attitude! I was like WTF and didn't buy anything because I was so upset. But otherwise the stuffs good. I gave them a try when I came the next time. Their cheese bread sucks though. I am a fan of cheese breads and theirs is one of the worse I've ever had. But other types of pastries are good and they have a great variety along with bubble tea and other drinks and red bean ice cream!
(3)N L.
Must get: Frozen yogurt (no DC "Pinkberry-wannabe" comes even close to this!!) Red bean bing soo (it's got everything your little heart could desire on a hot summer day) Taro boba (a little slice of heaven...and much better than Chinese bubble tea)
(4)Dong H.
I love thier bake goods. I would come here for their Bubble Tea and bingsoo during hot days. ICEBERRY for frozen yogurt. This store is busy during weekends and summer.
(4)Shawna G.
Mmmmm... pastries... baked goods... coffee... what more could you ask for on a lazy Sunday??? Yeah, I was the only white chic in a sea of Korean regulars and I couldn't have been more at home. The staff was VERY friendly and the green tea hit the spot! I'll be back to hit this place again... no question!
(4)Brooklyn B.
This review is mostly for the review of their Bing Soo. First of all, bing soo was hijacked from Taiwan and made a Korean thing. The real deal has jellies in it instead of the rice cakes. I don't mind the rice cakes, but I want my jellies! Bing Soo can't really be screwed up too much since it's really just shaved ice with fruit and condensed milk. Secondly, *I* think that it is just over-priced. $6.50 for a bowl. Not an outrageous price, but the first time I had shaved ice, it was about 15 years ago, sitting on a stool at an outdoor stand in Taiwan in the summer time. The ice was especially refreshing because we were all sweatin' like pigs. I usually freeze to death at Shilla's 'cause the ice is cold and the AC is running. I have to give Shilla's some credit, it's a nice establishment and a fun place to hang out with friends in the afternoon. I've never tried any of the baked goods, but they look pretty. :) I still go back to Shilla's repeatedly because I really don't know where else to get shaved ice. I just miss the original version...
(2)Deborah K.
unlike many people, i am not a coffee snob. i am, however, a bubble tea snob. and Shilla provides me with slush + too much sugar + weird colors + tapioca balls, not bubble tea. several times, whoeverimwith and i will order the same flavor bubble tea, but end up with 2 different colors in our individual cups. hmm... one star for their bubble tea, and another for their cakes. good, but nothing extraordinary about them - especially for their prices. their pastries/bread....nothing less than your typical Korean bakery...
(2)J B.
I can only tell you about their bubble tea and some of their bake goods. I haven't tried wide range of bake goods and other offerings. The bubble tea is not from a powder mix. They seem more of a ice cream shake then anything else, but they are oh so good when ytou want something cold and sweet. Out of the several flavors I've had, taro is my favorite. I only had one bad drink from them, the black perl was al dente. I believe it was probably a bad batch that day. The fruit flavors are also good, especial on a hot summer day. In the afternoon, they usually have sample of bake goods for customer to try. It's not like your typical bakery, it seem more of a pastry shop then anything else. Many of the bake good have a sweet flavor to them, but when you want fresh baked bread or oven baked pie, you might want to shop some place else. Overall, the atmosphere was pleasent, but it seem more relaxing to college students that just want to hang out and a place for the girls to hang out and gossip.
(4)mark l.
this is the best frozen yogurt i have had in the dc metro area. it is the closest thing to pinkberry that our area has. love the consistency, tart level, and it is ICE COLD, the way it should be. it is also the most expensive froyo in the are, but i think its worth it.
(4)A B.
Good pastries. Good bubble tea. Better bing soo at Le Matin right up the street. This is like the more active, "hip" korean bakery where the younger folks hang out, whereas Le Matin seems to draw the older, more professional business man type crowd. Anything at Shilla with "sweet potato" attached to the name should serve you well.
(4)Takaki K.
This small Korean bakery offers beautiful desserts. The chocolate cake I had was extremely tasty. I will wait for the summer to try the huge bowl of shaved ice that easily feeds two.
(4)Todd Y.
This is a great korean bakery. Has fresh products and a variety of sweets. Of course, it doesn't have some of the traditional Chinese bakery products. Everyting with their red bean tastes good. Their cream puffs are small and moist.
(4)angela n.
A wide selection of sweet Asian delicacies. I've been here a couple of Saturday nights with friends (as a meeting spot before they hit the karaoke lounges). Both times it was crowded with teens and twenty-somethings with a lot of energy -- must be all the sugar.
(3)Sue C.
Shilla was the 'go-to' place for me, until about a month ago when I ordered a bubble tea. When I went in for my first sip, an overwhelming stench assaulted my olfactories, and I couldn't bring myself to drink my beloved bubble tea! (Not the best tea in town to begin with, but now...) The stench was that of old rag, so I went to the counter to let the staff know about this, and they smelled the drink and insisted that it was just the normal smell of the milk that was added to the bubble tea. 3 different employees, no less, told me this, and I responded by saying that if this is the 'normal' smell of your milk, then you're using spoiled milk. Finally, after the 3rd employee took a whiff, they offered to either make a new drink for me or refund my money, and I opted for the refund, because after that awful experience, I didn't think that possibly getting a stomach ache that night was worth the bubble tea. My theory (and it's only a theory) about the stench is that an employee used a dirty rag to wipe off the excess bubble tea frozen slush off the side of the cup, and whatever was on that rag made its way onto the cup. Until the smelly bubble tea incident, I had loved Shilla, because its koroke (croquettes) were so yummy. But for now, I've decided to cool it with Shilla.
(1)Avery L.
i have never had an ice cream experience quite like this. we ordered the coffee ice cream w/corn flakes and it was out of this world. the textures w/the condensed milk, shaved ice, super creamy ice cream and the crunchy sweetness from the corn flakes?!? in HEAVEn. the pastries looked amazing but didn't get anything else just bc we were coming from the honey pig and there was NO ROOM for anything else. can't wait to try the bakery!
(5)I. P.
great bubble tea!!!!! blended ice kind...black tea is delicious. breads are good...pastries...cakes seem a bit dry. lots of tables and chairs to sit. recommend!
(3)D L.
I had as bad an experience as one could get at this bakery recently . I went in with my fiance at around 9pm on a Tuesday evening. There were about 5-6 customers, and may be 5-6 employees, about 3 in front, the rest in the back. I bought some cakes and order a blueberry bingsoo. Although the place was practically deserted and there were plenty of employees just standing around, the purchase transaction took quite some times because the employees just hang around talking to each other! 20-30 minutes later, my bindsoo came out. the slowness is quite noticeable, given that I used to get it within 5-7 min even when the place crowded. Worse, after we ate through the first layer of ice, we found a roll up paper napkin inside the ice cream! God knows where that napkin came from! When we brought it to the attention of the cashier, all we got is a surly attitude and "Sorry." He brought out another replacement bingsoo and and that's about it! I used to go to this place a lot because it has interested Bingso ice cream favor. I introduced lots of out-of-town friends to the place as a good place to have coffee, cake or ice cream. But this awful customer service experience which ruined a good day for me and my fiance that we was looking forward to definitely won't make me come back. Shilla has gone downhill. I don't think management cares. What a shame!
(1)Sarah P.
So happy that they had almond cream cakes! I bought a bag of the mini ones and ate them all within 24 hours they were so good. This place is a smallish bakery but just like the ones in Korea that I remember well. I only tried the baked goods and they were great but they also have bing soo and bubble teas here as well as some lunch foods (sandwiches etc.) Parking can be pretty bad depending on the time of day, the lot out front is pretty tight!
(4)Bryce A.
While driving to Lighthouse Tofu, a friend pointed out Shilla Bakery and mentioned it was good, so we stopped by after to give it a try. They have a fairly large selection of baked goods, plus bubble tea and bingsoo (think shave ice, with tons of toppings). There were a whole lot of samples to try, so we were able to taste things before deciding whether or not to buy them. There were a ton of people inside, but we were able to find a table to sit down and eat at. I ordered a bingsoo, and got some baked goods to eat later. The bingsoo was pretty good. I got the fruit one, and it came with ice, a whole lot of fruit, mochi and condensed milk. It was a good combination of ingredients, but I'm not sure if that particular one was worth $6.50. If you are looking for something more dessert-y, I think a lot of the other ones (besides the fruit one) come with ice cream/more sweets and may be a better choice if you want something a little less light. The baked goods were great, and very reasonably priced. I was impressed by the anpan. It is fairly large, the bread was chewy, and it had a great distribution of azuki bean paste inside. I also got a small loaf of bread with walnuts and a red bean paste baked inside of it. It seemed slightly drier, but I ate it 2 days later so I'm not docking any points for that.
(4)Andre S.
This location carry more variety of item compare than other Shilla bakery. Nice choices!
(5)Charles H.
Stopped by on a Saturday night and noticed it was like a zoo inside! By the time I received my Strawberry mousse cake most of the tables were filled except by the restroom. I noticed one family organized five tables for their group and make an "L" shape pattern. Other than the lack of tables, the food and customer service was good.
(3)Phoebe C.
Shilla Bakery is this Korean bakery in Virginia. It has baked goods, tea and shaved ice, and a comfy seating area. As far as baked goods, I got the green tea cream cheese bread, jalapeno bread, tomato/basil/pesto pizza, and ham/egg bagel sandwich. My favorites were the jalapeno bread and the tomato/basil/pesto pizza. They were very savory and served as a great snack and/or breakfast item. The ham/egg bagel was good for breakfast too, but a bit on the dry side. As far as tea and shaved ice, I've tried the green tea boba here twice. Both times, it didn't disappoint. I love green tea smoothies, so they could do no wrong. We also got the green tea ice cream + shaved ice bowl, which was more than enough shared between 5 people. It included green tea ice cream, shaved ice, red bean, and mochi. The green tea ice cream was the best part. Thing is you have to devour is ravenously to prevent it from melting and consequently, going to waste. Still good though. It's nice that it's air conditioned and you can seat yourself. Saves you from the humidity and scorching east coast temperatures. Your buzzer will buzz when your order is ready. When you're done eating and chatting, just clean up after yourself, and you're all good. Yum!
(4)Erin E.
I was first introduced to Shilla by a friend and it's a pretty cute cafe/bakery. I haven't had a bad experience yet. I usually go around 1 or 2 in the afternoon and its never extremely crowded but there are definitely patrons browsing or having lunch. Their baked goods and breads: very good. Great price as well. You can get buns, bagels, assorted pastries, sweet and savory, generally pretty cheap. The butter cream and strawberry cream buns are delicious. I believe they are a little over a dollar. They also have this flat-bread pizza that is yummy too, veggie, bulgogi, margarita, all very good. Dont forget to try the Jalapeno bread too! Another Bonus: FREE SAMPLES! Who doesn't Love free samples?? Cakes are a bit pricey, very good, but you'll spend a pretty penny depending on the size. Cake pops are good, Boba tea was good, I had strawberry. I've heard that their sandwiches and pasta's are good as well. Staff is friendly for the most part. Every now and then you'll get a younger kid that not the happiest to be there but otherwise, its a pleasant experience :)
(4)Truong H.
Everyone love shilla! I go for the butter cream pastries which are very light and airy, and i also go for the bingsoo. Service is ok, you deal with old korean ladies meaning not friendly. Parking is super tight so you will be lucky to find a spot in front. And this place gets super crowded.
(3)Liz C.
Every time I visit, this place seems to get better and better. It's a little cleaner a little more organized and a little more helpful. Plus their pastries are yummy and affordable.
(5)Lissa B.
We always like coming here on the way to do purikura in Lil'thingamajigs that is in the same center. They often have free samples of all the different breads and snacks that they sell. It's probably the best and most authentic bingsoo in the area since they have the green tea with red bean bingsoo. There is still room for improvement though and it is pricey.
(4)Colin C.
I thought the reviews here would be much higher. Been coming here for years and it is amazing. Maybe we are all spoiled with the Korean bakeries in the area but this is the best one by far. Bing soo is far better than cafe breeze and all the others. Tons of flavors, they have the fruity ones, the Asian ones with red bean and green tea and lots of mochi, plus American flavors with chocolate and other toppings. The bakery always has tons of interesting options with samples as well as cool looking cakes. Everyone is always impressed and not too expensive compared to places like cake love. The best part of the cakes is not feeling like you have diabetes afterwards because of the lighter frosting and filling.
(5)Susan J.
As always it's super crowded. Love the ample free samples. Small 6" fruit cake for $21. The largest 10"? is $38. It's pricey but my Asian parents love them!
(4)Na L.
Love the free samples they have available. Good spot to hang with friends over good pastries and coffee!
(4)Imani G.
I was searching for red bean pastries for Chinese New Year. Thank you Baby Jesus for this bakery! I am new to the area, so I am constantly searching go my "go-to" stores. The sweet red bean bread reminds me of the bread I was "slightly...who am I kidding, more like completely" addicted to when I was in Japan. The light slightly sweetened bread filled with thick jam-like sweet red bean paste...AMAZING! I was worried that the paste would taste more flavored raw sugar than a wonderfully blended concoction. Can you tell of really liked the bread. I was told to go back for the curry bread. GAME ON!!
(4)David H.
If you liked baked goods (and really who doesn't) this place is a must try. They have a huge variety of items and have free samples of many items so you can try before you buy. The pineapple upside down cake and shu cream pastries were both amazing. They also have a variety of coffee, tea, and lunch/meal items. There is a large seating area where you can relax or you can get it to go.
(4)Christine O.
Korean bakeries in Annandale = free samples!! Shilla is notorious for having a ton of samples as they probably have the largest bakery selection around. They have savory and sweet pastries, cakes, macaroons, bingsoo, frozen yogurt... just like a french bakery would. You can take some home or eat there on the spot. + the folks working here are very nice + variety of free samples + mango bread is off the chart + bingsoo and froyo portions are huge + mousse cake is delicious - often crowded = no spot to sit - have to ask for more toppings on froyo since it's very small and if you want more, you'll have to pay 50c more per topping - TRANS FAT in some of their buns (red bean and green bean buns) as noted on their list of ingredients... some don't even have a list so you won't be able to tell what was used. This is a buzz kill ... thought it was freshly made! There are a probably of other bakeries that use trans-fat in their food to keep the shelf life of food longer, but that just proves it's not as 'fresh' as you might think it is.
(3)Kimberly K.
Baked Goods- A (Love the free samples) Pat Bing Soo (Shaved Ice)- B+ The ice is more crunchy than smooth and fluffy. Still glad they offer it! It's usually packed in here. Cashiers are quick. Seating is available.
(4)Andrew Y.
Looking for an "Asian" style bakery in the area, this was what came up on the yelp search in the area. Looks can be deceiving. This bakery is lacking very much so in the variety of options they offer. Hugely disappointed that they didn't even have egg tarts. Their selection of visually delightful Asian pastries had a variety of shapes and sizes, however there seemed to be more salty (generally garlic + cheese) flavored/toppings, opposed to lightly sweetened bread. I ended up very dissapointed with their selection and walked out with some almond cookies because i was hungry and haven't had a good almond cookie in a while... I give this place a solid two stars -- "Meh. I've experienced better." Much better. I should note that this place seems to have a lot of bubble tea type drinks, with a variety of colors or flavors, however this review does not include those items. =D Have a wonderful day!
(2)Folasade A.
Nice variety of different baked goods with unique Korean flavors. Wish there was one where I lived. On a side note, the staff could be a little bit more attentive and friendly (and smile and not brush me off as soon as I take my receipt)
(3)Diana D.
Shilla's specialty lies within their pastry masterpieces, can't complain about the tasty boba and perfectly sweetened black milk tea either. they have awesome sweet treats (flavored bread, cream-filled puffs & rolls), a bunch of savory ones (kimchee & bulgogi pizza & curry chicken buns). depending on what time you get there, the place can be super ridiculously crowded... or empty. this also is in congruence with the availability of free samples. my only suggestion is that they add spicy crispy chicken nuggets to their menu bc that goes really well with boba drinks - and that would make me come here a whole lot more often :)
(4)Jason C.
For those who don't know, Shilla Bakery is one of the 3 oldest Korean bakery chains in existence (started ~1970). Shilla has been serving bread that was loved by many generations and was well known for its "So-bo-ru" bread-a derivative of the German Streusel that has a crumb topping of ground peanut, butter, flour, and sugar (and arguably one of the 3 most popular items at bakeries in Korea) and also for its red bean bread, castella sponge cake, and cream bread. Over the years, the landscape of the bakery business in Korea has changed with massive closings of mom and pop bakeries. Now the bakery shop scene is dominated by 4 Korean bakery chains one of which is Shilla (Crown, Paris Baquette, Tous Les Jours are the other 3). To survive the hyper-competitive market, the Korean bakery chains collaborated extensively with well-renowned European and Japanese bakeries and over time, a variety of different types of Koreanized versions (which I generalize as being sweeter and having less butter) of European/Japanese pastries and breads were introduced. I'm going to start off my review by stating the obvious: what you get at Shilla in the US is not what you get in Korea. EVERYTHING is different. You don't get the same variety and the taste is nowhere close. In contrast to Korea where pastry and bread baking is centralized, in the US, each bakery is responsible for baking its own bread because there aren't enough stores to support a centralized method of distribution. This creates a huge degree of inconsistency in taste from one bakery to another (an issue which is compounded by a lack of good bakers and non-standardized recipes across stores). In my experience, the quality of the products is largely driven by the location. I hate to say this, but NYC/NJ bakeries are far superior to ones in the DMV area. As rare as it is for me to admit and say this, of all the Korean bakeries I have tried on the East Coast, Paris Baquette in Fort Lee, NJ is as close if not identical to the bread you get in Korea. Unfortunately, both of the Shilla bakeries in Rockville MD and Annandale VA cannot come close to replicating this experience. I was thinking of passing on writing a review of Shilla since there are over several hundred reviews on yelp, but I changed my mind becuase I wanted to get the point across about not making sweeping generalizations based on an experience at one Korean bakery. From store to store, the taste and quality will vary widely (I'd say 2*-4.5*) depending on the location so before jumping to any conclusions and thinking "oh I tried that in Annandale/somewhere and it wasn't good" consider your location and overall yelp reviews. You'll be surprised to have much better experiences at Shilla or any Korean bakery for that matter elsewhere (or worse if you're unlucky ;)
(3)Tram N.
Terrible service. I asked for a to go container for the bing soo and was ignored all three times. What's up with that!? The green tea bing soo is delicious. I think I prefer shilla's bing soo over breeze cafés. I liked the many free samples as well. Minus one star for terrible service.
(4)choochoo t.
Love that this place has samples!!! While I'm familiar with most Chinese and Viet desserts, this is the second time I've been to a Korean bakery (first time was in Chinatown Vegas). We got here around 5pm on a Sunday and most of the samples were empty. But after about 10 minutes, someone started cutting little pieces for samples. She didn't refill all of the empty samples but there was a good amount. Here's what I had: Honeydew cake roll slice - the honeydew flavor is definitely there. Good thick slice. Would like more of the whipped filling but then again, I can never get enough of whipped cream. Sweet potato cake - I was sadly disappointed because it was too dense...I thought I was eating a cheesecake consistency at first. I've only had potato cake in this amazing Korean bakery in Chinatown Vegas but it was nice and fluffy, had lots of whipped cream (including between the layers), and chunks of potato in it. Sadly, there was no layer of whipped cream in between the layers here and no chunks. Strawberry mousse - hubby said it was good and would have it again. Raspberry macaron - satisfied but not the best I've had. Crispy crust with soft center. Would like it to have a little more raspberry tang and filling. At 5pm, I think only the regular flavors were left. I would have rather have pistacio or green tea. I forget what it's called but it is a bun with some texture on top filled with red bean. Pretty good. My friend tried their boba smoothies and was quite happy. I also tried samples of the walnut cookie. It was like a soft dough with filling and a piece of walnut inside. That was quite good. Also tried the twisted donut with sugar coating. The coating/crust made it crispy and I was really surprised it was so crispy and good. Friend liked the twisted with the red topping...I assume it was raspberry and I don't remember what it was called. I was eying the fruit cake slice but it didn't look like there was a lot of fruit in it, such as in between the layers. For around 5 bucks per slice, I guess I'd expect more. I haven't gone to Breeze Bakery but will try it out next time I'm near by to compare. Overall, very happy this place exists and so happy with the samples!!!!!
(4)Kim A.
Came here a couple of days ago for the first time. First impression was, wow its messy. Not much parking spots in the area. I looked around the pastries and desserts they had. Not much to choose from. I havent had bingsoo in Virginia yet. Wanted to see if it'll be the same or somewhat similar to the one I always get back in sanjose. We sat near the back of the store. It was weird to me that there was a back door that people walk in and out from. It was cold and sadly, couldnt sit anywhere else cause it was crowded. The bathroom was so messy. The floor was a mess with napkins, spoons, crumbs. Finally my bingsoo was ready. It was a fairly good size. It's alright, nothing extravagant. Most of my ice was already melted and didnt have much flavor. My friend got a Melon boba. It Tasted like watered down melon. I dont want to give this place a 3 star but from my experience, thats all I can give.
(3)Bulgaa B.
After trying this place two times, I was done with Shilla. My first time was last year and I got the green tea bingsoo with my friend. The bingsoo was ok and those cakes and pastries tasted just alright. Anyway, this time I went there and treated by their staff like I did something wrong for them. The cashier lady didn't respond me when I asked how she was with the big freaking smile on my face.Oh well, and then I proceeded to go while I was saying thank you! She only gave me this rude glance and kept on staring at the wall. Just to let you guys know I was the only one in line. RUDE COSTUMER SERVICE. Furthermore, I bought caramel bingsoo and it was just plain shaved ice with few pieces of chocolate and banana. And those hotdogs and mini pizza that they sell is just waste of money. Don't even try it. All in all, no shilla bakery for me.
(2)Sabrina M.
I've been going to Shilla for years and I keep coming back. This delicious Korean bakery has the best bingsoo (a speciality that comprises shaved ice, fresh fruit of choice, and condensed milk) and red bean pastries. One of the best parts are that they have generous samples of their baked goods around the shop. You can spend five minutes wandering and leave full and happy. I also love their pineapple pound cakes and castella cakes. Shilla Bakery is a must-try in Annandale :)
(5)Stephen C.
Local Korean bakery hangout for families and friends. The baked goods proves are ok. The drinks and ice cream are expensive.
(3)Brenda L.
Love this bakery, especially the boba and the samples they have of the baked goods. I'm a big fan of their croissants and donuts. My only gripe is the customer service, it's pretty bad.
(4)Scarlet K.
Ah, Shilla bakery. I like their bread, shaved ice (bing-soo), and everything. It gets crowded over the weekend and evenings. And bump into old friends a lot. I always love their bread samples and they make sure to refill those to the max too. Parking is a problem on weekends. Sometimes I can't find parking, so end up going to Breeze cafe instead or vice versa.
(3)Yujin M.
After writing off my usual bingsu joint (which shall remain unnamed) after the recent discovery of sprinkles and cornflakes littering my green tea bingsu, I went back to my roots and returned to Shilla. In my humble opinion, this is what classic bingsu should look like. Our green tea bingsu was messy--green tea syrup slopping over the bowl, a haphazard heap of shaved ice over two big lumps of green tea ice cream, no extraneous decorations adulterating my bowl. I'm all about aesthetics in presentation, but when it comes to my comfort food, clean is the way to go.
(4)T D.
I love the variety of treats available and they are indeed very delicious. However, the staff is the opposite... not personable... very rude... all about pay and get out... they deserve 0 stars.
(3)Ko K.
Like this place. Somewhat over priced though!
(3)E J.
One of the better Asian pastries places. Like that you can sample some of their baked goods before buying it. My favorite is the chocolate pastery and the amazing jalapeño bread.
(5)champagne s.
Never had anything bad from Shilla. I get depressed to come back to Miami every time I visit Shilla because there is nothing quite like it in Miami. Every bakery item and every dessert is done right! Definitely a gem of a place to try if you haven't yet. I look forward to my trip back to VA and to bring home tons of baked goods to enjoy here in FL! The service is fairly friendly although possibility of miscommunication is high due to language barrier. Just be prepared and don't get upset! The workers there are trying their hardest to communicate and be efficient so that the crowd can buy and pay as quickly as possible. Prices are beyond reasonable, poor and hungry college students come hither!
(5)Dave H.
Out of everyone here, we were the few folks that weren't blatantly Korean. Not that there's anything's wrong with that. The focus on this bakery should be on their sweet, sweet offerings, not the clientele. If you like coffee ice cream, get a bowl of their coffee bing soo - the shaved ice tickled me pink! While I wasn't wild about the mochi in it, corn flakes sealed the deal for me, as did the reasonable price.
(4)Roxy J.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!!! Mmm I can get my fill of red bean pastries, Taro bobba tea, and any other korean pastry that I crave......I want to try the bing soo but I feel like I need some peeps with me to take that on; I'm not brave enough to pull that feat off alone, lol Parking is usually always tight. It's the hangout spot so when you walk in and finally get past the bakery, which is hard because the samples will distract you, you'll see tables filled with people and their mountain high bing soo's. They always have cakes on display which one could actually order. Their cake slices are always delish too! Their staff is always smiling and very helpful when you get stuck deciding what to get. If you haven't been yet, what are you waiting for!? Take an appetite and have fun!
(5)Albert S.
The Bing Soo is good. Very big - for two people to eat. There is also a Rockville, MD location.
(4)Ruth C.
Three and a half stars. Busted toilet makes for sad women. We headed over here since it was right across the lot from LT. The red bean sounded more appetizing but I went with popular vote, so that's probably what I'll try next time I'm in the area. Cute cakes on display but the idea of all that fondant grosses me out a little. I nibbled some pound cake while I waited in line, which was fluffy with its freshness and not too cinnamon-y. Service was smiling but harried. It took longer than I expected for our pager to get buzzed, but there was a fair amount of customer volume at the time. Coffee bingsoo was like a dessert-for-breakfast bowl for two. There was enough coffee ice cream to keep me going until the late afternoon caffeine fix, and coffee syrup drizzled onto the shaved ice to boot. Corn flakes were pleasantly slow to get soggy. Loved the inclusion of glutinous rice cakes. I've had better bingsoo but this is the best I've had recently. Bakery samples and boba? I'm down for a sequel.
(3)Angie T.
I love Shilla Bakery. Yes, their drinks and bakery items are a bit overpriced but of those that are comparing to NYC or CA prices aren't being fair. Shilla Bakery is one of a handful that are in the area. NYC and CA has one almost every couple of blocks. Here, there is no competition so it only makes sense that their prices are a little higher. Although I do wish that there were more like it in the area. They have great cakes and Bing Soo. My gripe about the place, is that if you come on a weekend, the place is packed. It's hard to find seating and parking as well! But the one thing you can always count on when you come here is quality baked items.
(4)BERT O.
I really enjoy this location. Almost everything about Shilla Bakery gets me. Everytime I go it is packed with people, but they are quick about getting them served. Their breads are fresh. I always come here for Bubble Tea, my favorite is the Honey Dew Boba and also really like the Thai Tea Boba and the Chai Tea Boba. Also, this is a sweet bread lover's dream.
(5)Tatiana T.
I dont understand the low reviews this place is awesome! Go saturday mornings for super warm fresh goodies. The boba is amazing and the cakes are a hit anywhere you take them. All the pound cakes are good and prices are decent. Totally authentic, a must do!!
(5)Starr C.
I can't give this place any higher than a 3-star review only because I only got to sample their bingsoo. Everything LOOKED delicious, but I can't really judge if anything else actually tasted delicious, unfortunately. Walked in, ordered a strawberry bingsoo to split among the 4 of us after dinner. I've never had bingsoo before, but it was very tasty. I wasn't a huge fan of the ice cream, since it was relatively heavy and I'm not a big fan of heavy dairy flavors, but I managed to get 3 pieces of mochi that no one else seemed to get? Lots of fresh strawberries in the mix also. I hope I get to visit again because I feel like I'd love this place if only I got to sample more things.
(3)Xtine C.
Always consistent on their bread/pastry/bubble tea quality. Staple cafe to go to after a good meal! :)
(4)Eric J.
I feel their bingsoo quality hasn't been the same since two years ago
(3)Hannah F.
Shilla is one of my favorite stops in Annandale. I really appreciate how they provide numerous samples--because I'm not always familiar with the pastries. Everything I've tried there has been fabulous and fairly priced. The only downside is that it's often very busy--leaving out boatloads of samples tends to attract a lot of people--and sometimes it's hard to get a seat.
(5)Brandon T. L.
Desserts are banging! Try the bingsu, especially the caramel one if you love chocolate stuff. The bread and cake are good. The lines tend to be long on weekends, so go there during the week and stock up.
(4)Julia A.
Ah yes, Shilla. While there are numerous Korean bakeries scattered throughout Annandale and Northern Virginia in general, this one tops them all. The aroma stops you in your tracks when you initially walk in. But then you see the display of all the carefully crafted desserts on from the glass near the counter. There is definitely something in here for everyone. Their cakes look incredible and taste as good, if not better, than they look. Do make sure to try their free samples and you'll understand what I mean! Their non-pastries are quite good too. They have some great smoothies, teas, and coffees that are worth a taste. The only frustrating thing about this place is you won't be able to pick a favorite dish, because you will be shocked (in a good way) by all of them.
(5)Adrianna R.
This bakery is GREAT! We've been trying to find a good bakery in the area for pastries, etc. Coffee was also fantastic. We came really early in the morning as they were opening for the day. Smelled fantastic! Need to go back again!
(5)Jinho P.
Between Breeze and here, I prefer Breeze because of space and distance from highway. Overall, their pastries are good too. I am only lowering the rating because of location and spacing issues. Typically, you go to these places with a group of people or to meet your friends and seating is not enough. I would say, if you are in the area and looking to take-out, it's worth buying from here but I never stick around.
(3)Cindy M.
Great place to grab some dessert after a Korean pig out at Honey Pig. Just like the awesome bakeries in South Korea. Got the bingsoo and some tea. Would recommend!!
(5)Natchanan M.
Just got back from Shilla , all Bakeries was so good, have only one problem is a cashier was so mean and real bad, ( a young lady with a white shirt with pink sleeve ) she said u guys move! I don't know where is she graduated from ?! Or her school never teach a basic sentence to say please or could u!
(3)SY Y.
This is one of the best Asian bakeries in the DC area. I love that they have samples of everything, which is really helpful especially if you're not familiar with their baked goods. The prices range from $1-10. Customized cakes are also available. They have a cafe section which is usually packed and their bing soo (shaved ice) is fantastic. I usually get the fruit bing soo which comes with mochi. Parking is a little tight but you can always park at the back, near to the shops. This location is by far much better than the Rockville location in terms of varieties of food. Service is meh but someone once said that to me that in an Asian restaurant/bakery, bad service means great food.
(5)Jean S.
Hands down the best Korean bakery in Annandale for traditional Korean pastries and their bingsoos. Slightly overpriced but its because they can get away with it. In terms of cakes, their fruit mousse cakes are amazingly delicious but the other ones are just alright, nothing too special
(4)Linh N.
Food is pretty decent and the price is not too bad. I always look at customer service whenever i go eat outside food and their customer service is on and off. Sometimes i'll be greeted by a nice cashier, other times they will be rude or very brisk with me.
(3)Emily C.
Shilla bakery is amazing. When I first moved to the area, I was craving some asian pastries. really really badly. A coworker recommended this place and I'm so glad he did. The pastries here are delicious! Don't believe me? go there and try it yourself! They have tons of samples all over the place-enough so you can get full from that. While all of the pastries are good, my favorite one has bunch of layers of puff pastry and light cream and sponge cake. Soooo good. I always end up buying tons of stuff! There's a good amount of seats if you can't wait to chow down on your yummies, or if you want to try the bingsoo (shaved ice) that comes in several varieties. yum~
(5)Esther C.
I love Shilla Bakery! While not as pretty in atmosphere as it's competitor, Breeze Bakery in Annandale, the pastries are hands down the best in the area. I will always go out of my way to go here if I'm looking to satisfy my hunger for yummy Korean pastries and bingsoo!!! Love, love, LOVE it!!!
(5)Tiffany L.
After going to Breeze Bakery, which was a huge disappointment, we made this our second stop. Between these two, I think it's a no-brainer. Shilla all the way. They had tons of samples of baked goods to try, many of which I liked. Their bing soo was also so much better than the one I had at Breeze. My group was entirely in agreement.
(4)Lisa B.
I had the Americano latte with a chi late layer cake, simply the best! Ambience inside was nice but it does get busy at times, resulting in long lines. Would definitely try again!
(4)Grace C.
A group of us enjoyed sharing one of the fruit shaved ice dishes (a 'bing soo'). It was tasty, with good fruit. I thought it tasted much better than the bing soo we got at Breeze Bakery. One of my favorite things about Shilla is the abundance of samples they have! There were free samples of at least 15 different cakes/breads/pastries when we went around 9pm on a Sunday. Some of the baked goods tasted weird... but that's OK because you can try before you buy!
(4)Chich S.
I'm a huge bingsoo fan, and the fact that they still serve it in the winter is great news for me! The red bean bingsoo is delish and probably the biggest reason why I'll be back. The mocha roll cake was a bit too spongy and tasteless compared to those I've had at other korean bakeries.
(4)P T.
I really love going to this place, especially after getting some Korean BBQ or Pho in the area. I like to call this place a small Asian version of Whole Foods because there are samples of products as you walk in and you can try many things before you purchase it. We often peruse the free samples, get a bingsoo for the table, and take some goodies to go. The bingsoo is awesome! So is the bubble tea. Once in a while you can get some fresh mochi buns. The prices are reasonable. The place gets really crowded later on in the evening to the point that there is no seating. If you want to get in and get out or want a seat, it is best to come before 8:00 p.m.
(5)Jey J.
YUM YUM YUM! this is my favorite location of theirs. They always have a plethora of baked goods in stock and the bingsoo is to die for. I've tried most flavors but the Strawberry and Red Bean are my favorite.
(5)Ada Z.
The Bing (water ice) there is great with red beans. And need to mention the nice environment. Great experience
(4)Dmitry D.
Well this place would have got a 4 or even maybe a 5 but out of 7 desserts that I got for the family 5 of them had HAIR in them. Call it bad luck but no matter how good this place is people in the kitchen need to wean air nets and the hair was just discusting. The cream stuffed buns were good, the strawberry glazed donut was good also. The pizza with ham and crab had to much going on with it and whatever the white sauce that was on it there was just to much. The macaroons weren't bad and they had a good variety of flavors. I really hope they wear hair nets.
(3)Jen S.
If it weren't for the sales associates trying to feverishly stock their food items while I'm trying to look around or other customers bumping into me and looking at me like I'm the one at fault, I would give it at least another star but this place stinks in terms of customer service. The packaged carb goodies are delish but I'd rather not return again. FYI...I ordered a milk tea boba thinking that yes, finally a place that serves milk tea boba that is not a slushie, but sadly, it was. What a disappointment....
(2)Michael M.
Melon Rolls... OMG these things are addictive. It's like a melon twinkie disguised as a yeast roll! I've gone here about 2 dozens times to get pastry's and such and each time I get something new and fresh. This bakery is a diamond in the rough and and a local haunt that not many know about. I hope it stays packed with locals and NOT packed with everyone under the sun!!!
(5)Ivy L.
I love going to Shilla for baked goods and free samples. The only downside is that it can get really busy so it's hard to find parking and/or seating at certain hours. Also, I can never guarantee that my favorite pastries will be available.
(4)Kim H.
Ok I'm giving this place five stars mostly for the fro yo! I dunno what the heck they put in it, but it's damn good. I've been to all the Cali joints, Pinkberry, Red Mango, Golden Spoon, etc....and NOTHING compares. I also love the cream filled pastries (mocha is the best!). They make for a guilty yummy breakfast.
(5)Yelp_user M.
Very cosy bakery. I loved the fact that I could try baking goods before actually purchasing them. Thumbs up for this idea. All bakery goods look fresh and taste awesome. Too bad I cannot eat too many sweet things, as I've been trying to loose weight lol. If I were skinny, I would buy the entire store lol.
(5)Cat V.
I come here with my family when ever I come to the east coast to visit. Here are some observations. The macroons aren't worth it. They're just kinda dryer and harder than they need to be, it's a pass. The croquettes can be okay sometimes but are also often freezing cold or horrifically oily. So why does it have 4 stars? I would cut off a small toe to have mocha pie castellas sent to my house once a week for the rest of my life. I'm not even sure that's the exact name because one morning I asked the lady if they had coffee castellas and she said no....okay, pretty sure that was what it was labeled but whatever. I went back later that day and they were there. I love the coffee cake shell, the puff pastry insides, whatever else they put in there, it's great. The bingsoo is huge and lovely. You really build family affection fighting over the various elements in the bowl. I guess elbowing your cousin for the last mochi isn't nice but it'll be forgiven eventually right? Overall a nice place and I'm sure I'll return next time I'm in the area.
(4)Tracy D.
I enjoy the treats and boba. Bingsoo is yummy but has gotten much smaller over the years. I'm not sure if its because this place gets crazy, but I dislike how dirty and uncared for the tables and bathroom can become. The atmosphere is a bit more boisterous so don't expect to have intimate conversations. I'd come here only if I can't find parking at Breeze.
(3)Xuan Y.
Friendly staff and delicious food. Tapioca bread and bingsoo are on top of my recommendation list. The only complain is that they sometimes run out of tapioca, so good luck!
(5)Brandon L.
They have very excellent bread that is baked fresh. Their bubble tea is amazing, it has great flavor and taste. The only bad thing about Shilla is that there is rarely any room to sit and enjoy their food. Also, their prices on their things are much more expensive than other companies.
(4)Anthony C.
The boba from shilla is amazing as always with a wide variety of flavors. But when I go to this shilla, I always go for the bing soo if I plan on sitting down and chilling. The fruit was fresh the one time I ordered the fruit flavor, and the classic red bean-green tea mix was amazing. Good flavor and even had mochi's hidden inside. So my stars are mostly based on the boba and bingsoo. I can't say much about the baked goods and cakes.
(5)Imran A.
Love the Bingsoo here and the bubble tea My 2 fav things to get. Everything is good here when it comes to food. Good cakes , Good drinks ....... food isn't the problem here. The customer service sucks. Very mean people work here. At one point they started yelling weird things. Just don't go there 50 mins before closing time.
(3)Josh G.
Personally I'm more partial to Breeze, but Shilla is okay. They have a wide variety of desserts and pastries that are well priced. It seems like everyone here orders the Bingsoo, but I found it underwhelming. Overall, I might stop in for a pastry if I'm in the area but I wouldn't really go out of my way. Annandale has plenty of other comparable, or better choices.
(3)Andrew K.
Ain't tried most of their baked goods, usually go for their boba but that's MEH, good service though, all them ladies behind the counter definitely checkin out this hunk of a man yeeee boiii (jk) ANYWAY, this place gets way poppin at night, and it's a one-two food coma knockout if you go to il mee then here. Good bingsoo, decent dranks (lattes and boba don't judge me every man's got a feminine side nahmeens), easily crowded place. I'm actually writing this review cuz of its BATHROOM. Check out the photo. You have a bigass smiley lookin' mothersucka with its tongue out like he's enjoying you peeing into his anus...liiiiike okaaaaaay i'm not into that kinky shit but maybe this is a shilla bakery philosophy (maybe like spread the golden love!!! we are all silla dynasty here)....and then you got 3 little smiley faces like "oh hi! please, we want more sibilngs, continue to pee and poo here" and then it's like HAVE A NICE DAY like "AAH you want me to have a nice day when I just dumped with three faces lookin' at my buttcrack?" Cruel son...JUST CRUEL. It's kinda cool though.
(3)Jamie C.
I'm only speaking for the boba smoothies. I got the coconut and my boyfriend got the banana! Both are amazing but the banana is extra good. They have a lot of pastry selections, coffees, food options, the atmosphere is comfy and the store is clean. This is a really nice place to hang out with friends over a treat.
(5)Shoaib T.
There cakes and many other bakery items are fab and delicious. Honeslty I would go there and eat some cake everyday if I don't gain weight..... Good place. Will definitely come back. For me once a month or every 2 weeks is good. Good environment. Packed in the evenings. Price range is friendly.
(4)Tammy T.
I come here with my brother and his girlfriend often to get their greentea bingsoo. Always satisfying! We also like their cakes and small pastries--- we think their best cake is also the green tea flavor! Their regular bubble milktea is unfortunately way too sweet!
(3)Krystle F.
Have been here several times and always awsome! The Bing So is a shaved ice and icecream creation that is so delishious and fun, plus comes in a dozen flavor options. We have loved every single flavor we have tried overhalf by now. Also the bakery offers tons of specialty treats with free samples you can go crazy here. It has become a staple for taking friends and family who come to visit. They offer coffee, tea and bubble drinks, all are amazing.
(5)Kelly G.
I am a big fan of this bakery for the variety of tasty pastries and treats. I love the Centreville location due to the close proximity to my home, and they seem to carry more sweet breads than say the Annandale location which has more savories for lunch. Today my visit was to the Annandale location, which wasn't crowded for a change....that was nice, so you would expect a little customer service from the staff since they weren't AS busy as usual? Nope....The older Korean lady at the cashier was very rude...for no reason, left me waiting at the cashier for five minutes while she stood there with her back to me spouting off something in Korean to a girl in the back.....who was much nicer to the customers, by the way. The lady in line next to me was a first time customer to Shilla, and had some questions....I helped answer some of the questions, but any she asked this angry woman were either give one word answers with attitude or just not answered at all. Could be a language barrier? Could be just plain rudeness on the employee's part? My guess is the latter. Despite this staff member's lack of happiness, the bakery is always clean, well-stocked, and with a great variety. Their Boba is the best in NoVa...from what I've tasted thus far. The Boba actually has some flavor versus the bland chewy plastic balls of other locations.
(4)Angel W.
shilla is my newest obsession-- having previously exclusively gone to Breeze Bakery, Shilla is better in my opinion in almost every way. The selection of baked goods stays varied and in healthy quantities even later in the night, there are FREE SAMPLES all over, and the dessert selection is quite satisfying. ordered bubble teas which are, by default, made like a slushie. However, you can ask for it to be made in "liquid" form, and that will result in a delicious, traditional milk tea boba. only thing that is inadequate for shilla is the space-- breeze has 2 floors and has a bit more space to sit with adequate distance between tables. but that won't deter me from coming back again!
(5)Sabrina P.
The service here is so terrible! Don't even greet you when you come up to the cash register they just take your stuff. I only had a $100 bill and they gave me attitude about it like...I've been a cashier for a while and it's not that hard to count back money... It gets even worse! I ordered green tea bingsu and it was sooo poorly made! It look like they just dumped in whatever and that was it. There was barely any mochi either which was my fave... Definitely not coming back. Breeze cafe is way better and it's just down the street a bit!! Go there people.
(1)Daniel H.
My favorite place to go for baked goods and even though im not a huge fan of cakes in general, I always get my cakes here for my friends and families' bday celebrations. Staff are knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. Great selection of pastries and i really like their bubble teas. They also have other tasty drinks and even pot-bing-soo
(5)Sarah C.
The breads are ok, but the customer service made it worst. This place is falling apart. It needs major renovation. I would spend no more than 10 min just to buy the bread.
(1)Hana S.
Super cute and reliable! My friends family and I have been coming here for years we love it. Some locations are more cozier than others. This location isn't the most cozy but it's very reliable. They have a good selection and open late. The staff here is friendly outgoing and has always given us super generous samples. Last time we were here we walked away with 4 free items. This was probably due to the fact that a few of my family members have never been here. That was a very kind act from the staff. My favorite here is the Sweet Potato Cake. For all the chocoholics you might want to try the Oreo Monster. The kiddies all adore cakes that are shaped into smiling animal faces. For those of you were watching your waistline you may want to grab a regular coffee or a nice hot tea. I'm sure there may be nice to clean bakeries in other areas. However, I have to get this place five stars for being clean, consistent and reliable.
(5)Teresa G.
Love the atmosphere here. Things are baked fresh, and the people who work here are friendly. The mixed fruit bingsoo was absolutely delicious, and I loved the macaroons I bought. Of course, I also grabbed a few goodies to take home and those were wonderful as well. No complaints here. Will come back again.
(5)Will N.
Some tasty unique treats here. The macaroons are really good. The fresh samples they have there are really really on point, and there really aren't any other places like Shilla around here that I know of. I've have the shaved ice there, it's just ok. Everything else I've had there is really good though, some of the pastries are just addictive. The only other thing i was disappointed with was the challah bread, but it's really hard to find good challah around here.
(4)Nomin D.
Bakery heaven! But service not so much. But I'll give 4 stars for the bakery itself. I love how they make everything so fresh, reasonable price, and plenty of samples. We got the chocolate and strawberry macaroons along with lot of other on the go bakeries for work/snack. However, cashiers and staff is not really friendly at all.
(4)Eunice K.
Lots of parking behind Shilla. When I use to go more often the back door would be open but the last time I went we couldn't use the back door so we had to walk to the front. Finding parking in the front is hard and usually more convenient to park in the back. I really like the interior of Shilla. The tables, chairs and bathroom decal. They had lots of fresh baked bread and the service was great. Definitely better than the Shilla in EC, but I think the chains should be consistent.
(4)David A.
The infamous hangout spot for any and every Asian in the Northern Virginia area. Lots of choices of drinks/desserts; their selection of bread is your standard Korean bakery. Just beware of getting to the store at a later time of day where most of the popular baked goods have been long gone. Good place to sit around and kill time with friends, it can be very loud at times when the place gets crowded and the TV/music is going full blast.
(4)Marianne K.
This place rocks. Every time I'm in Annandale I find an excuse to eat a saporro donut from this place. Bingsu basically got me through pregnancy. If you've gone into this store and seen people eating mountains of colorful snow, that is bingsu. Eat it! The staff are always very helpful. I'm surprised to read negative feedback about the people that work at Shilla. I've gotten several cakes here, including the pig cake filled with strawberry mousse and it's amazing! Macaroons are also cheaper here than other Korean bakeries in the area. I love that there are samples galore. Not being Korean, I'm not immediately familiar with all the dishes and I appreciate that they let you taste before buying. I've also made several purchases here and the staff have given me "new items" wrapped in those cute little plastic bags. It's nice they let people even try out full sized products as they introduce them to the store. I will be back again and again!
(4)anon r.
Sweltering summer in dc = comparative studies of shaved ice. :). The bingoo is a little too "crunchy" ", compared to fluffier melt in your mouth shaved ice (am I really too lazy to chew? ;)). Red bean from can, along with fresh honeydew, watermelon, mochi, and canned cocktail fruit. But starting with ample bakery samples (which by themselves could satisfy one's Asian dessert craving without even ordering anything), I'm never disappointed by schlep here from md.
(5)David L.
I visited this place once on my drive up the East Coast. It is an awesome Korean bakery that also sells different types of drinks with an option to include bubbles (boba). They have a sizable selection of Korean pastries to choose from. My personal favorite is pronounced something like "go roh keh", and is basically a pastry that's fried on the outside, and contains veggies, potatoes, and some meat on the inside. Definitely recommend trying that one next time you're here if you've never had it before. Once additional point goes to this particular location because they provide samples for a number of their pastries. I love this idea, and I wish more bakeries would do this. It is a great way for people unfamiliar with Korean pastries to get a taste of what they will be buying. Also, I think it makes for a great snack with your drink if you want to pass on buying pastries that day. The boba (bubbles) is not bad, and the drinks seem at least up to par. I have yet to try a lot of items here, but I feel like I will eventually be here again, and that I will come to give this place a second look. But based on my first impressions, I would definitely recommend checking this place out. David's Value Per Price (VPP): 7/10
(4)Crystabel R.
I've been going to shilla for years and I could vouch that the breads and pastries are delicious. I love the jalapeño bread and the morning rolls. The bingsoo I guess is pretty decent because they have a wide selection of flavors. My favorite is coffee flavor! They also provide plenty of rice cakes which I love. The fruit flavors don't taste too great though, I'm not a fan of the sicklenly sweet syrups. I knocked 2 stars off for service. I'm half Korean so I speak Korean in a heavy American accent. I spoke to the cashier in Korean and he had the nerve to roll his eyes and smirk at me for attempting to speak the mother tongue. Don't expect good service here but there's good bakery items and plenty of samples.
(3)Katherine C.
I love their variety of boba, bingsoo, cakes, and just random pastries that they offer. Coffee is Great as well and just a wonderful atmosphere in general when it's not too packed.
(5)Leba T.
Nice spacious cafe w variety pastry. It also has wifi and big tables for quick meetings and some work.
(4)Carolyn D.
This place is always busy every time I come here, but also clean and a great cafe/bakery. The coffee or espresso flavored macarons are my favorite, which are crunchy but not too hard and has a creamy center with the right amount of coffee flavor. I also like to get the cream puffs they have. They're never too much bread, but sometimes too much cream inside. It's a subtle sweetness and not to overpowering. I hope to try more things on my next visit.
(4)Brandi O.
Everything I've tried was decent. Good but not mind blowing. The strawberry bingsoo has very little toppings. Maybe two whole strawberries inside it and about 4 rice balls. The rest is ice and strawberry ice cream, but luckily they were generous with the condensed milk. For $6, I would expect a bit more toppings, but the portion itself is huge. Have also tried the black milk tea with boba. It comes in slush form. I guess this is typical for Korean bakeries to make them slushified. I prefer it iced but it's what they do so no real surprises there. The boba was cooked a little too long, it was a tad too soft, but not to the point of being mushy. Plenty of seating, place was clean, bathroom was also clean, and the guy that helped me with my orders was very friendly and smiley. Haven't tried the bread but maybe I will one day. Overall, it's a cute place. If I lived in NOVA I'd probably be here more often.
(3)Chau H.
I've been to this location since sophomore year in high school, and while it is one of the better locations, I feel like both service and product quality have been deteriorating over the years. The ice cream / yogurt portion of their bingsoo used to be so much more, as opposed to a large pile of shaved ice underneath the bowl now. They also cut down on mochi and substitute some fruits with more banana slices, which I assume to be cheaper. Customer service is a hit or miss... Now, Shilla's Bakery is definitely overrated and overpriced.
(3)YoYo J.
This is a great bakery! We like to try different things when we come they have a great variety. They also serve lattes, coffee, and Boba teas. I love the curry chicken pastry and wish they hd it more often! Everything is fresh and light! The bakery cakes are beautiful too. It can get crowded but if you snag a seat its a great place to meet up with a friend.
(4)Paola A.
I had the thai tea last night, it was so-so. Heads up- when they are busy, the workers get frantic. Yikes. Will try to come back on a different day, perhaps a slower day. Honestly, that shouldn't matter tho...
(3)Shani L.
Tuna wrap with sweet peppers and fresh carrots. Super yummy. Try the pork/vegetable croquette.
(4)Sarah B.
I'm gluten free so no review on the baked products- but their gigantic ice-cream/shaved ice bowls? PURE DELIGHT. If you've lived in or visited Korea, this place will make you nostalgic.
(5)Emily K.
The pastries are great. The parking is awful. I also feel like you get treated rudely if you are not Asian.
(2)Yuan Z.
Services are the worst compare all. Cashiers are mean and angry with customers. Not polite and friendly at all. Pastries are fantastic. Fair price and definitely worth it. But not the cake, it's plain and nothing to compare with french bakeries.
(1)Dennis M.
5 stars for the food 5 stars for the service Here's why... First of all how can you NOT like this place? Fun atmosphere, delicious food, super friendly super Asian staff, and plenty FREE samples. As soon as you walk in turn to your right and pick up a Red bean bun for a buck fiddy because it's amazing! Worth every penny. As far as their cakes go I've only tried the fruit kind because my family loves it so why try anything else? The frosting is very creamy and the fruit on top is very fresh. They are extremly generous with the free samples. Just do one round and you'll be a customer for life. The service is great. If you buy a cake they will decorate it to match the occasion. My only critique is how tight the Asian male worker's skinny jeans are. I'm one of THOSE Asians that just don't seem to understand skinny jeans.....They look painted on! The verdict...... This bakery is truly epic!
(5)Donna W.
Great pastries, fresh, light, beautiful artistry! Selection is huge, adorable cakes, and individual pieces. Shaved ice (bing soo), boba drinks, hot drinks, ect. Clean, nice seated area to enjoy your delights!
(5)Reony T.
Okay first off, in terms of food quality and taste? Best Korean bakery around here. The boba tea is the best I've ever had. Mix of ice and milk, not just one or the other. The pastries are all AMAZING! Never am disappointed with anything I've tasted. The ONLY thing I would say is the staff can sometimes not be so friendly. I think it's partly because I'm white... Or basically not Korean. At this point though I go almost once a week so they recognize me as a loyal customer.
(4)Jenn K.
Shilla Bakery - where everyone in NoVa seems to go to hang out after food. Love their green tea lattes, their bingsoo is pretty good too, but well, the service is cringeworthy at times. My friend tried to get a roll cake, told the cashier that she had rung it up wrong, and she shrugged and swiped his card right after anyways. And then tried to make it up with giving him a free macaron, but he was a little annoyed that he got a slice of cake instead. They also have this delicious red bean - marshmellow fluff bread covered in crumbs that I really like, but it's usually out since I come late at night post k-bbq to grab dessert here. Tables are usually a little grimy and chairs stick to the floor a little, and everything's really crowded, but hey - it closes at 12am on weekends, has a good drink, and pretty decent pastries.
(3)Summer C.
BAD SERVICE. VERY BAD. I ordered a "green milk tea w/ boba", the cashier asked me 3 times n I repeated 3 times-- "green milk tea". $5.25 for boba tea, really!? And guess what, I got black milk tea slush Boba. The other guy told me they did not have green milk only black tea w/ milk. So why didn't they tell me at the first place? And I did not expect to get slush at this weather! When I told them it wasn't what i ordered, all I got was "I don't give a s***" face! The other woman (who seems like an owner) gave really bad attitude to the costumers before me! Should've run away when I saw that! Anyways, milk tea was fine, very mushy boba, super bad service, overpriced product! Will never come back!
(2)Foooodieee C.
The place has gone down over the years. The staff are the worst, they talk to you like their business don't need your dollar$$$. Thank goodness there's other Newer and better bakeries nearby.
(1)Julie C.
Having gotten terrible service at a nearby local bakery, I decided to try Shilla this time. My dude and I had just finished dinner and were craving something sweet. I wanted to try some bread, but it was close to closing time and there were not a lot left. This review is only based on the beverage and service I received. I ordered a citrus iced tea and my dude ordered a Thai tea latte. My citrus iced tea was hot on the bottom and cold on top. Does it really take so much effort to stir it around once or twice? Why do they charge extra for it to be iced if they won't take the effort to at least make it iced? Why not give me a cup of ice and hot tea, then tell me to mix it myself... Since that's what I did anyways. The Thai tea latte was good. It smelled good and from what my dude said, it tasted good too. Now the reason why I had to give this place 2 stars is because of the terrible service. As I placed my order the cashier asked me what size I wanted, I didn't know it came in different sizes, so I asked her what sizes they had. She blurted out small and medium and stared at us like she was doing us a favor. I'm sorry to inconvenience you because I wanted to pay you for something you sell...... ? The entire process of ordering, paying and receiving our drinks was plain painful. I have never felt so not wanted in a business before. A smile goes a long way in customer service. I will most likely not return to this place. I guess I'll keep trying until I find a bakery with friendly employees.
(2)Ngoc T.
I've been here a couple of time, the desserts here are pretty good, the price is a little pricy, but it would be worth it. I recommend the tiramisu, it is very good, melt in your mouth and it's just yum. I dont recommend the boba drinks,very expensive and very bad, it's all ice and no natural flavor. Waste of money, if you want some good boba, try the Vietnamese one at Eden. The service here is depending, if the young guy and girl help you out, they would be generous, but the old lady there is very rude.
(4)Cait L.
If you've never been here and are wondering if it's worth checking out - GO! This is definitely an interesting place. I'm not Asian, but Shilla Bakery is just another example of how Asians (in this case, Koreans) do it better. Upon walking in, be prepared to be awed with the vast baked goods lining the walls and shelves - many with free samples - and the display cases showcasing the delectable desserts. It's great to bring out-of-towners here just for the overwhelming look on their faces. This would also be a great spot to reward your kid after an all-A report card or sporting event. Why not 5 stars? The service is a little less than friendly. Maybe "terse" would be a good way to describe it. It gets very busy in here, but there was definitely a smaller crowd when we went one time after 9pm. Boba tea is another one of my favorites, but not when it comes as a smoothie, which is all they offer here, so beware of that. Also, I would not recommend getting the shaved ice to-go. Just don't do it. Other than that, Shilla Bakery is A-Ok in my book.
(4)Bryony B.
OH yessssss - frozen yogurt, bubble tea, shave ice, coffee drinks, and TONS of korean baked goods - WOOOHOOO. I grabbed a basket here and went on a shopping experience, tasting (yes, many tastes available) and grabbing items for purchase such as mochi, creme filled pastry, red bean and creme pastry, chocolate bread, crunchy buttery mini chocolate chip cookes, cherry mini cookies, savory pastries and so much more! They also had such cute cute cakes in the display case. They literally had like every kind of dessert I could be craving. The coffee they serve is Illy (qualitaay!) too. They also have these 2-3 people dessert options, called Bingsoo, that have ice cream, shave ice, and toppings - sounded awesome. Although this location was in Virginia - I heard they also have one in Rockville which is closer to me - sooo excited!
(5)Charry L.
It would help if their staff would smile more. The cashiers are unfriendly most of the times. The bread though are tastier than the ones at Breeze and price-friendly than Tous-les-jours across the street. I like to purchase their roll cakes for gifts when I'm invited to friends' houses or pick up an americano and soboro bread in the morning when they just baked it. Their coffee is not that bad but there's nothing special about their bingsoos. Wish the ice was more finely crushed. I must say though that it's in a convenient location. It can get extremely loud at times but a good location for chit chatting with friends. Overall, it's an A-OK cafe.
(3)Kerry C.
Love the breads and the shaved ice (bingsoo). However, each time I go there (every few months or so) the portions of the bingsoo get smaller and smaller. I keep going back because I don't know where else to get shaved ice and fattening yet yummy bread. Plus the eye candy there is not bad either (patrons and staff.) Staff is always smiling, don't hit on them, they're probably under age.
(4)4zz Y.
My main complaint is about Korean workers. bad service! the workers (cashiers and front people) mean mugged you. They looked at me and talked shit about me in Korean. I wonder if that was how they taught the employees to treat customers? The foods are okay but OVERPRICED! I personally think their breads are better than other stores around. Everything here is expensive and it is not worth your money!
(1)Lisa Y.
Crowded Korean bakery on a Sunday afternoon. We wanted bapbingsu, so we yelped a place. This location's photos came in the lead so we came here. As someone who's used to NYC bapbingsus, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that they actually used condensed milk in the shaved ice. The red bean had a smokey roasted flavor, and it really topped off the dish. Only missing was mochi. I would love to come back here again!
(4)D L.
I ordered all of my desserts for my engagement party which was like a mini wedding. Professional, helpful, great service, flexible, and responsive. The cost was reasonable and actually cost less than a huge cake at other bakeries I visited. I got a two tier cake and mini desserts for 75 people. Generous amounts which lasted through the night and even had some left for the guests to take home. All the desserts were delicious and not too sweet but rich in flavor. The desserts are chiffon like with their light and fluffy textures. The cake was delicious, moist and not too sweet. SO BEAUTIFUL!!! The elegant design and butter cream frosting was much better than the fondant cakes I tasted elsewhere. I worked directly with Connie to come up with a custom design and menu for the dessert table. She helped me with the color scheme, layout and variety of flavors. Strawberry butter cream cake, was beautiful and delicious. Best option for those who want a light and moist cake that is not overbearingly sweet. Opera cake, the most moist cake and has a tiramisu texture. Cake pops are moist inside and beautiful. The mini fruit tarts are actually huge! Our guests favorite with a perfect crust, filling and generous amounts of fruit. The macarons were actually the first ones gone...maybe they were the guests favorite. Lol. Scrumptious and moist as well. Lastly the sweet potato cake. Sounds strange but is one of the most delicious cakes at Shilla. The filling is almost custard like but thicker.
(5)Todd S.
Overpriced and full of Korean teenagers. But the bread is good and just like in Seoul. The best thing to do is go late in the evening when they put out lots of free samples. You can fill up on those then take home something else for later
(4)Gretchen P.
Shilla was the very first Korean bakery I ever stepped foot in here in Northern Virginia, and it's the one I keep going back to. From their myriad of free samples and graze-able baked goods (of which I always end up buying entirely too many... sorry, waistline) to their frozen boba offerings, I am never disappointed! I have yet to try Shilla's bing soos, but every time I'm there I see pretty much everyone seated in the restaurant enjoying them. I opted for a basketfull of baked goods, including a cinnamon-roll type bun that I had never seen before--delicious!--and my favorite frozen black tea boba. To be honest, I've never even tried any of the other boba flavors because I love this one so much (I'm a traditionalist, what can I say?). The guys behind the counter this time were super friendly, too. Sometimes the wait can be a little long if there are lots of people there -- for a Wednesday evening it was busy, but not over-the-top crowded. You better believe I'll be back... and soon!
(4)Eileen N.
Unfortunately, I must echo some of the other reviewers and discredit this bakery for its terrible service. The cashier was beyond rude (hostile!) when she accepted my money. Even though I was their patron, I felt that I was at her mercy. Secondly, and possibly more importantly, I purchased 2 macarons (green tea and pistachio). Their texture, and my fear of chipping a tooth upon biting into them, indicate that they were at least 2 days old. Although the taste of the macaron was fine, it is impossible to overlook their staleness -- one would be better off biting into a pistachio-flavored rock. I felt insulted coming to this establishment by both the service and awful macarons. I don't see how this bakery is still in business. Shut it down.
(1)Mere P.
Busy and crowded but fresh items being put out while I was there. Great service from the staff and it smelled amazing!!
(4)John H.
Wish I could give zero star to this rude customer service at this shop. They all need to be trained on customer service 101. The cashier has no right to yield at customer no matter what issue customer has! They don speak English but they tried to fix my English when I tried to place the order. I don need them to kiss my ass when I shop there but they need to know their role and know what are they paid to do. All staff and manager are so damn rude. None of them smile or be professional friendly to customer.
(1)Albert L.
It's a cornerstone of the Annandale K-Town scene. There's limited parking, but a vast array of fresh pastries, cakes, and breads to peruse makes up for it. Can't really go wrong with castella cakes from here. One hidden treat is that they serve illy coffees, which for any enthusiast is a great choice (they're basically the Starbucks of Europe). For those wanting more of a dessert experience, you can also order up the various bingsoos - Korean shaved ice topped with fruits, sweets, and other stuff. Service can be hit or miss depending on the crowdedness, but it's good for the most part.
(4)Michele P.
Staff here might as well be replaced with machines so customers can do a self-checkout and not be disappointed when the humans they're interacting with refuse to smile or be pleasant in general. Pricey boba, but they're large. I like the Thai tea flavor, but it gets to be too sweet so I can only ever drink half at most. Bingsoo is gigantic and meant to be shared, but it's mostly shaved ice. Hard pass on the sub par tiramisu. Don't come here if you're uncomfortable being the only non-Korean. Do come here to grab a snack or coffee and catch up with friends and family. For the record, I prefer the Centreville location. Way more spacious, less crowded, and friendlier staff. Food is more or less the same.
(3)Janet K.
I came with two of my friends yesterday after a savory meal of KBBQ. We wanted a refreshing dessert so we came by. We got the coffee bing SOO and the macarons. They were super good! Not super sweet like some American desserts, and the customer service was amazing. The OPPAS there were quite good looking too!
(5)Chris S.
So the same day I ate a Shilla, I also ate at a pho place for lunch and a sushi place for dinner. So I thought it was only fitting to finish off my Asian themed day with an Asian style bakery. I've been to a few other Asian style bakeries, and this one was definately the nicest on the inside. It was also busy, which is usually a good sign. I noticed they had a lot of empty spots for baked good and had me wondering if I came at the wrong time. Still, dispite this small hiccup, Shilla had a decent spread of goodies. There were plenty of free samples to try, which is an amazing idea in my book. I ended up going with the strawberry cream and mocha cream pastries, as well as a pork croquette. For a drink, I got a taro boba and my girlfriend got the mango one. I highly enjoyed the two cream filled pastries. The filling was light and airy, and the bread was baked well. These brought back memories of my childhood, when my step mom used to attempt to gain favor by bribing her step children with sweets. The taro boba was also fantastic, minus the fact that there wasn't enough tapioca balls for my liking. Then again, i would prefer an entire cup full of them. Loss of one star because the staff was not very friendly. I always seem to knock people for their service, but there is no excuse for it when it' sub par. I mean that's the only thing you're required to do: be friendly and smile. I did my bit in the customer service industry, so I know how hard it is to be friendly on a super busy day, but I also know how much of an impact a poor experience can reflect badly upon a business. When I return, I hope to see some friendlier faces and a few more Asian treats I remember as a kid!
(4)Sarah Y.
When they mean no outside food, they really mean it, even if your friend has allergies and the rest of you order bread and drinks. Drinks are overpriced. I ordered the yogurt smoothie with no boba and it was over $6. The bread is good and they are generous with samples.
(2)Phil S.
sure, i'm from l.a., where there are simply more and better choices. i could understand the qualify of pastries being mediocre but if you know you you don't have the top-of-the-line quality product, at least be friendly. i don't normally write reviews for restaurant based strictly on their services but when your product isn't great and service is worse, i guess they're asking for it. for the record, i don't really blame the workers for being grumpy when you're working under someone who'll borderline curse you out at work. quality of their pastries: 3 stars. they get a star knocked off because of the service.
(2)Betty H.
Got a cake here and it was so good! One of the best I've ever had. It was a chocolate cake with blueberries, strawberries, and chocolate chips on top. The cake was so soft and fluffy. It wasn't too sweet either, as with many cakes in American grocery stores. The cream was amazing; it was like it would melt in your mouth. The cake was decorated so nicely. It also came in a cute pink box. Was worried that they weren't going to have anymore cakes at night since we went there after dinner; but they had plenty of cakes on display. They also sell bread here with free samples. Busy place, but service is fast.
(5)Jason C.
I stopped by to pick up some bread on my way back home to MI.... spent around $60 for individually packed breads, the mocha cake... when we got there (around 9:30am), lot of the bread areas were empty, I guess you have to get there early? Parking is decent, staff were nice and we were in and out in about 15 minutes. The decor of this place reminds me of all other Korean bread stores.... next time I stop by will have to try the coffee and other offerings.
(3)Ellen C.
All the things i had were NOT as good as they looked. Presentation is good, the actual taste is terrible. The oreo monster looked so good, it tasted terrible. I wasted a lot of calories on it. It was warm too. It wouldve been a lil better if it was served cold.
(1)Khadra M.
Yummy boba, delicious pastries! Did I mention FREE FRIGGIN SAMPLES!! Yes please! Lots of seating areas and the staff there is pretty cool!
(5)Toulaphone C.
Shilla has gotten busier and more popular quickly in the past few years. Having lived in Korea for a year, I think their pastries are as close as you can get to pastries from Korea. I usually go for the bingsoo whenever I go there. I either order the strawberry, coffee, or fruit bingsoo. However, I wanted to try the new blueberry flavor during my visit this time. The blueberry sherbet was very good, along with the rice cakes and blueberries, but the blueberries could be fresher. It wasn't as tasty as my normal strawberry bingsoo orders, so that's why I'm giving my visit four stars. Still enjoy coming here.
(4)Jonathan P.
Pretty solid Korean Bakery, and I've been to a lot. The atmosphere I pretty chill esp at night if you're looking for sweets, coffee, and/or bubble tea. Enjoyed my time here. Definitely one of the better Korean Bakeries in the DMV area.
(4)Angela N.
The place was extremely busy on a Saturday night at 9:30pm. Was a bit tough to get a table so this is not a place for a quiet date night. But the energy is fun and there are many families with kids and it was great for a family night with the kids. Also, there is something sweet for everyone. Service was good and staff friendly. I will go back again for sure.
(4)Janet L.
AHA. Come here for the samples. So many different samples! Their jalapeno bread sample was DELICIOUS that I ended up grabbing loaves out with me (guess it worked to their favor to have those free things there). I got an iced green tea latte (very good!!!! but a little on the sweet side)... the yogurt bing soo is so so so great! Yogurt, fruit, everything! Green tea bing su is also very good. The only thing we wished we had known is that these bowls are gigantic. Definitely buy just one to share and don't be naive like us - each getting our own - bad plan. Will definitely be back!
(4)Mychelle H.
One of my favorite bakeries. I've been to this location and the one in Ellicott City. I love putting all the goodies in the basket at the front. I haven't had a chance to try any of the cakes yet. Everyone is always very friendly and the atmosphere is great.
(4)Cathy H.
If I had to pick one bingsoo option to recommend, it'd be the green tea variety. It is composed of shaved ice, sweetened condensed milk, mochi, two large scoops of green tea ice cream, sweet red beans, and mochi. The strong green tea flavor of the ice cream balances the sweet beans and condensed milk very well. This dessert is very substantial in size, so plan to share it with at least one other person. The highlight of this place, in my opinion, is not their bingsoo, but, rather, their baked red bean mochi bread. I'm a big fan of food with textural contrasts; mochi bread has a chewy interior and tougher exterior. The red beans lend a slight sweetness to the bread. Do me a favor and try this.
(4)Julia L.
Meh. I mean... Super cute cafe atmosphere, good priced korean bread and goods, but not the best bubble tea. Idk if it's a Washington thing, but the bubble tea was more like ice cream and mango juice with some syrup. I've had way better bubble tea in Chicago or other local places than this 5.25 mango bubble tea. Pat bing soo I'm sure would've been good, but they were having a health inspection going on while I was there so they weren't able to make it.
(3)Kayla H.
The customer service isn't loyalty inspiring, but Shilla's is solid. You can sample most things which helps to make purchasing decisions if you've never been to a Korean bakery. The green tea latte is delightful and a stand out menu item for me. I generally prefer Breeze Bakery Cafe, but Shilla's is good too.
(4)Lhynette C. A.
I would definitely rate Shilla Bakery with 5 stars. They have items on their menu that you can only get there. The Bing Soo bowls are yum! Every flavor i try is better than the next. But most of all, i love the bakery part. They make their own pastries and breads everyday. the best part is, you get to sample each and every pastry/bread before you buy them. This place gets crowded sometimes, so seating can be a pain. My favorite pastry is the Shou Cream and the Buttercream loaf bread. They also have the best bubble teas and smoothies around. Everyone definitely has to try this place at least once. I am sure you will be coming back for more!
(5)Linh N.
Their bubble tea is actually in slushy form, not the traditional liquid kind. The boba is very fresh and chewy. Their bing soo, however, is not impressive at all. (Kind of a waste of $ actually)
(4)Richard O.
It was my last day before heading back down to Virginia Beach and my friends urged us to visit especially since it was my first time. GOODNESS THE SELECTION! There was so much to find and what made the experience even better was the many sample trays next to some of their pastries/breads. I can't lie. I probably ate at least $10 worth of samples before leaving, but it was soooo good! The old country bread will now and always be my favorite. Besides baked breads, they also have a wide selection of macaroons and fancy looking cakes shaped as animals. Cute! They're boba tea is not as good as I hoped it'd be, but they're Korean coffee is wonderful. Will be coming back for more old country bread and others very soon!
(5)Alice W.
I've been to this Shilla Bakery for years now. Like everyone else, I enjoy their assortment of baked goods, desserts, cakes, bingsoos, and drinks. They usually have lots of samples to try and everything is decently priced and yummy enough. Every year for my parents' birthdays or mine, I get a cake here (or from nearby Breeze Bakery). The cakes are also good. I like Asian cakes (mousse/chiffon/sponge/cream cakes with fruit toppers) much more than American cakes with their overly artificial flavors. Asian cakes are much lighter and don't have that sweet artifical flavoring, which agrees with my sadly slowing metabolism these last few years. Shilla makes chocolate chiffon, yellow sponge, green tea, chocolate cream, etc - most of them have strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, raspberries, and other fruits on top. They even make cakes shaped like pig faces, roses, and other cute shapes and figures. And if you tell them it's for a birthday, they'll put the cake into a nice, sturdy box, throw in a plastic knife, and some tall candles for you. A bit expensive for a cake (ranging around ~$19-30 depending on which cake you get), but I rather get one of these cakes than your typical American grocery store-bought sheet cake. Now, the bingsoos. I discovered bingsoos here and really liked their assortment of various bingsoos. My favorite is probably green tea (I'm a green tea addict), but the yogurt, strawberry, and red bean are all good too. As for boba, I'm not really a big fan of their boba because it's not really boba to me, it's more like frozen slushies. I like my bobas to be the traditional liquid bubble tea with tapoica, not frozen. These bobas do not hold a candle to the ones in Rockville and certainly are no rivals to those in California. I will say that I did enjoy my green tea latte though. One thing I highly do not recommend eating is their macarons. I ate two out of curiosity and boy was that a mistake! The macarons were hard, the outershell separates, and they tasted stale. UGHH do not eat these! One significant drawback to this Shilla is that it gets pretty busy in the evenings and on weekends - understandably since it's one of the only places open past 10pm on weekdays in the DC suburbs. Driving in this small plaza is sometimes a nightmare when it gets really busy, so I try not to go when it's "rush hour" here. 3.5 stars. Worth coming back every now and then to get some goodies and meet up with friends.
(3)Tanesha S.
Worst boba tea of my life. Maybe because I'm used to boba in SF but this is nowhere near comparable. Would suggest try Ten Ren not amazing but best I've found thus far.
(1)Sharon J.
Definitely the best Korean Bakery in the area. First of all, their breads, pastries, and cakes are to die for. From what I know they put a big effort into their actual products, and it shows. It can get really bustling during evenings. Sometimes their service is aloof, but it seems to be usually because it gets so busy and hectic. I think management has realized this, and is working on improving this aspect, as the workers seem a lot friendlier than before. This place is a must-go-to when I'm in the area.
(5)Junella T.
This place is always packed. Never tried their drinks and menu but their cakes and baked goods are yummy. My family always buys their birthday and holiday cases here. We love the fresh cream cake. It's not too sweet and always light and fluffy. This year we tried their matcha chiffon cake and it was tasty. Not too sweet and they didn't over do the matcha powder either. I love their baked goods as well and they have a unique selection of breads with interesting fillings. Try the one with the rice cake in the middle. If you are lucky enough to come in when they just put out the fried dough with red bean filling...amazing!!!
(4)Meredith B.
Shilla is a fascinating study in cultural differences, no question, though the result is that I have some mixed opinions about the place. It pays to remember, when buying baked goods, that their pastry is not your pastry [if you're used to European], but if that is kept firmly in mind, there is a lot to enjoy. I grabbed a few different things on my trip to try and make sure I got a decent sample without going completely overboard, and am, on the whole, pleased with what I took home. The tiny pumpkin bun was delicious, topped with a pinch of green pepitas and stuffed with heavy, lightly sweetened pumpkin. The daifuku [mochi filled with red bean paste] was light and chewy, fresher and less sweet than the ones I get from the fridge case in my local asian grocery. The fried rice doughnut was just ridiculously good, a tiny bit crisp on the outside and gloriously chewy inside with a pleasant flavor I can't quite describe other than being lightly sweet and ricey. My green tea poudcake, though one of their specials,was less exciting, but i think that's a personal taste, thing. My almond bun was interesting, but I found the cream inside to be short on almond flavor and long on shortening. The chocolate/mint bingsoo I shared with two other friends [they're gigantic, it's crazy] was delightfully refreshing and full of strawberry and bits of mochi. Definitely an experience to repeat. Sadly, the best thing I tasted from there was actually the walnut bread [they had samples] but i decided against getting a loaf because I live alone, and they're big, and we all know where that ends up. Still, I obviously need to go back and remedy my mistake. There was a crazy amount of stuff I didn't even try, nevermind the fact there were fresh trays of new things coming out even as I was leaving. The service is a bit hit or miss, complicated by the fact that a lot of the staff doesn't speak or understand English very well, and the place is incredibly crowded- a testament to its popularity, no question. As long as you don't really have questions, however, it's not generally an issue.
(4)Carolina M.
Shilla seems like the typical Korean bakery/cafe which I'm used to in Georgia (namely in the Duluth, Buford Hwy areas). My friends and I came here after dinner to hang out. I was a little surprised that they have two kinds of ice: bingsoo (which we uses regular ice), and the snow cream (milk based, I forgot what it's called exactly). I had the green tea snow cream/flake and it was delicious. The texture of the flakes is small and shredded that somehow it doesn't melt as quickly as I thought it would. Portions are generous so that a regular order is easily shareable among 2 or 3 people. It's kind of pretty too, like you can literally see it sparkle haha. I kind of would have liked more mochi and red bean. I'm visiting from out of town, so I probably won't be back anytime soon but that snow cream/flake is something different from what I've had, but it's not extraordinary.
(3)Chay T.
I have been to Shilla on multiple occasions; each time I am disppointed. The bingsoo is sad. Like Breeze, Shilla uses shaved ice. However, the ice has a lot of hard, unshaven bits that are painful to bite into. They depend on ice cream to flavor the bingsoo. The only good thing about ordering bingsoo at Shilla is the crazy amount of mochi they give you. I love mochi, so kudos Shilla. I swear they add a cup of sugar to the bubble tea. They are always too sweet. Too, too sweet. The flavoring is good, but the sugar content is not. I have yet to try any of the bakery items or coffee. I am apprehensive to go near either, due to multiple unpleasant experiences above. Overall: I would run the extra few blocks to go to Breeze for bubble tea. Even Breeze's bingsoo is much better than Shilla's. But, neither Shilla or Breeze have anything on Siroo's bingsoo.
(2)Jenny L.
Almost every time I come here, this location is crowded and hectic! I do like that they're open until 11 pm -- there don't seem to be many places to get bubble tea this late. I'm not crazy about bing soo and I usually bypass the pastries in favor of the bubble tea. I'm a fan of the taste and the slushie texture of the black tea boba -- call me boring but it's a classic!
(4)Michael L.
I absolutely love and adore this place. Situated in Annandale (aka Little Korea), this is the go to spot for any kind of baked goods. And I mean any baked goods. I remember seeing pancakes served here #whaaaat?! I always get a bun, usually red bean or coffee and a Boba drink. I highly recommend the lychee Boba, even though it's an $1 extra, your mouth will be happy. They have these really cute cakes and macaroons for sale that resemble cartoon animals. I remember buying one for my sister's graduation and she didn't want to cut it since it was so cute. Also every time I go, it's always packed (even at 10:30 pm on a weeknight!) Service is pretty good as the cashier's are very efficient with cycling people in and out making a seemingly long line very short. The employees are super nice and they never seem to break under rush hour. A++
(5)Yuchen Z.
An adorable local Korean Bakery. This place is great, they have all sorts of delicious baked yummies-ranging from bread to macaroons to cakes to Asian buns. It's the typical Asian bakery style where everything is laid out on the shelves and you take a little basket or a tray and pick out whatever you want. The prices are reasonable and everything is made fresh. The smell is overwhelming, like a kitchen that is constantly pumping out baked goods (which....I guess this is exactly what it is...) There is a decent sized seating area in the bakery. There is free tea for its patrons. Plenty of people buy things to eat there or take out. There are signs telling you to not overstay your welcome at their tables though so beware. Overall, delicious bakery to try out!
(4)Dann G.
A place where I go to get the freshest pastries and mochi and delicious bingsoo. The place has a pleasant atmosphere and beautiful lighting, generous free samples of the various offerings, and a clean bathroom with a perplexingly friendly toilet. If you're craving Asian style pastries and love bean paste this place is definitely worth a detour on your way in or out of DC.
(5)Emma W.
Its crowded! So it must be good!!! Wall to wall people! But really the pastries are a sight to see. So many things I want to try. So many possibilities! Tried the glasses bread. Check out the pic. Outside is a good pastry with cheese -not strong tasting- on top. You break it open and on each side of the "glasses " is filled with custard. Yum! It really is good! Had the sour apple drink. Its like a jolly rancher and a little sour mix swirled together. I definitely made the pucker face a few times! Its a slushy green... Not sure I could ever finish one. Would get something different next time. Not a lot of tables and you probably would need to wait. Not ideal for big groups... so take it out! Come for the pastry. Leave happy!!
(4)Ngoc L.
This is the worst snowfluff i've tried. I am a big fan of bingsoo and i've tried many different bingsoo in many places of this area. But Shilla has the worst one. It tastes so bad! The quality is terrible too. One serving just has 2-3 mochi and a little of red bean. Moreover, it doesnt look good too T.T When i came here and ordered bingsoo, i was so excited. But when i picked up, you guys dont know how much disappointed i was. And a group of Korean who ordered the same dish, they were so disappointed too haha. And one more thing, the cashier here was so meannn. She was not willing to answer my questions. She didnt even smile. At the time, i really wanted to talk w the manager here but there was no one here -.-
(1)Thuy V.
So I'm not a huge fan of Shilla Bakery products although my husband and many friends are but we decided to give them a shot for a wedding cake. The cake lady was friendly and helpful, even on the busy weekends. Call ahead to get a tasting. She gave us 3 cakes to try and initially we were going to go with a mocha cake but at the last minute after having another tasting go with a strawberry and vanilla cake. We had a simple design which they were able to imitate fairly well. Overall we were very happy with our wedding cake as were our guests (at least that's what they tell me!). The cakes are less sweet than traditional cakes which is usually more of a hit with Asians. It was also much cheaper! The lady warned us not to get as many sheet cakes as we did but we just wanted to be on the safe side. Ended up having a whole extra sheet cake. You may get prettier cakes elsewhere but we were happy. Also they came on time to deliver the cake to Arlington! Kudos Shilla Bakery!
(4)Diana S.
This place is pretty loud and packed on the weekends. My family and I really like their coffee bingsoo. Their pastries are all pretty good too. Parking is a tad limited but you can trek further into the lot and walk over and it's usually less than a minute walk. Shilla is a chain, so it's easy to know what to expect when you drop by for your fix :) Enjoy!
(5)Laura C.
Shilla never disappoints me. Its like heaven on earth. Samples everywhere, friendly and fast service, and if you time it right you can chill at a table. Every time I come here I always get a little bit overwhelmed with all the choices of yummy Korean pastries i can buy..but hey I feel pretty happy when i do leave this place with a whole bag of pastries that will only last me 3...er...okay fine 2 days. I do have my 3/4 go-to pastries and I usually always try to buy at least one new pastry when i come here. I recommend the sweet potato bread, the almond butter (?) bread, okay I am evidently very bad with names. When i return to this place ill make sure to pay more attention to the names. One day I will go through this whole bakery and I shall feel very much accomplished. Oh and how could i forget, their vanilla chai and taro blended bobas are delicious, but next time i will definitely try to get their bingsu...unless i give in to their boba again. I recently also took a trip to their Fairfax bakery, but I think i'll stick to the Annandale location.
(5)Walt L.
Went to celebrate a birthday and while there I picked up a few desserts for later. The red bean and taro buns were decent but nothing special; average quality for an average price. The store itself offers a wide selection, seems very busy on the weekend and does offer samples for those unsure of what to get or are interested in trying something new. The strawberry cake was OK. The frosting was moderately sweet and airy but the filling had been absorbed creating an unpleasant chewy center. A good place to grab a quick snack but not worth a long drive.
(3)Crystal P.
Over the years, the place has changed. The owners are pleasant not so much of the clientele can be rude. I enjoy the food there because it's tasty and I don't get physically ill from their products.
(4)Susu A.
I've been going here for years with friends and family. It's a great place if you just want a quiet place to sit and catch up with someone especially at night since it's open late. Their pastries and breads are all perfect! Always moist and delicious. Their boba drinks and bong soo is always on point and their coffees and teas are delicious too. Their macaroons are pretty good. I like that they are not too sweet and they seem to make it with very natural ingredients so that's a plus. And to add to all this, a few night ago we took my cousin who is visiting the area to shilla and she forgot her Burberry purse that had her passport, cash, and gold jewelry in there and didn't realize until after they closed for the night. She went the next morning before they opened and they had her purse tucked away safely with everything still inside.
(5)Martine S.
In general this place you get to sample a lot of their pastries for free :) But what I recently learned is that they have great deals for wedding cakes! You can call ahead to do a free cake tasting of their three flavors (chocolate with raspberry jam, mocha, and vanilla with strawberry cream). You can get your cake delivered for free if it's within 20 miles radius and there's no charge for extra flavors! If you need to stick to budget I would say this bakery gives one of the best deals within the DMV area!
(5)Amber G.
Carb heaven. Great Korean bakery with lots of assortments of breads, pastries, desserts, and drinks. Some of the savory pastries like the chicken filled croquettes are so tasty. I'm also a fan of the flavored cream filled pastries (mocha cream! yum!). They also have lots of samples if you're there midday, and if you show up near the end of the day, they'll often give you free stuff (usually cream-filled types of pastries that they won't be able to sell by closing time and will go bad by the next day). They also have bing soo and boba drinks, which I haven't tried yet. It's usually pretty crowded and the restaurant is pretty small, so be prepared to wait a little during the day. Some of the people shopping there are holding BASKETS full of pastries. I can never bring myself to do that to my waistline, so I usually am in and out of there pretty quick with just a few small indulgences. There's a parking lot in front and I've never had trouble finding a spot. Tip: They have pretty good macarons in an wide assortment of flavors. You can pick and choose or just grab a box of pre-picked assorted flavors... And they have freshly made MOCHI! Yassss!
(4)Chris C.
Love the korean baked goods here! They have a number of breads, desserts and cakes here such as tiramasu. Always a fan of their bingoos too! I usually get the one with red bean. Decent sized parking lot and right off of Little River Turnpike.
(4)Derek A.
Amazing place. Everything they make is very delicious and fresh. A wide of variety and very friendly staff. If you're looking for a good bakery, this place deserves the ride!!
(5)Gayatri P.
I really want to give this Korean bakery a good rating but it doesn't compare to the other korean bakeries I've gone to. Unless you want to eat plain ice with no flavor, I do not recommend you get the mixed fruit Bingsoo. Not sure where they get their produce from, but its terrible. If you go with Bingsoo, please for your sake, pick a different flavor. The cakes are all right. I suggest getting the opera cake. It is rich and will satisfy any chocolate cravings you may have. The tiramisu mousse is okay too. Perhaps I made the wrong selections here but either way I likely will not return to Shillas. This place did not wow and dessert should ALWAYS wow. Sorry. I speak the truth.
(3)Ann P.
I have been to many shilla bakeries. I feel like this one is one of the better ones. I mean in the sense that the workers are a lot more friendly. Did you also know shilla bakes wedding cakes. I personally did not want to use their wedding cake because my wedding was a more elegant affair. I needed a more detailed fondant wedding cake. But I can see if you are having a more casual wedding, a cake from shilla sounds like a great idea. They also give you free delivery up to 20ish miles in distance. I also want to be very honest with my review. I am not a fan of their bubble tea. I drink a lot of bubble tea and shilla does not meet my bubble expectations. The bubble tea smoothie always has large chunks of ice. It's a downer because their breads and pastries are sweet, scrumptious and fresh. They bake their own pastries and breads every morning, so the store constantly smells of fresh baked bread.
(3)S L.
Bing Soo was so much better with fresh fruit. They use frozen fruits or canned fruits now. While waiting for our food see staffs eating and flossing teeth.... Lady sweeping floor while I was trying to pick out bread. Pushing dirt by my foot with out saying excuse me. Not a fan anymore. Use to come here once a week now I need to find another place. Anyone have better place for me?
(2)Joy B.
Variety is the spice of life. Shilla Bakery in Virginia boggles the mind with cases of breads and pastries. I didn't know what to choose first. They had tastes of cream cheese bread that was heavenly. We also sampled a pastry filled with custard that was absolutely delicious. The adorable cake designs would grace any table. There were beautiful fruit topped cakes and cute cakes that children would love to eat. The bakery was packed and they were able to keep lines moving and customers happy. I was shocked at the difference from their Rockville location. It was much larger and had lots of tables to sit and enjoy your tasty treats. People were filling their metal baskets to the brim. There were fruity drinks to order with your bakery choices. I was thrilled with our visit and know that I will definitely return soon.
(4)Jane P.
You have to try their green tea ice cream! It is perfect! Slightly icy and super creamy. Not frozen completely so ice cream is soft enough for you to scoop and enjoy each bite! They also have a lot of other delicious desert, pastries, drinks, and even food! Nice place to sit and talk with friends after a lunch or dinner, but it gets pretty crowded:/
(4)Megan C.
I'd like to give mad props to my friend and fellow Elite Yelper Hannah H. and her husband for introducing my hubby and me to Shilla! I had been wanting to try it out for quite some time, and really wanted someone "in the know" to give me the tour, since I tend to grow overwhelmed when there are too many yummy choices! Shilla has no shortage whatsoever of these yummy choices, and rest assured that you will be tempted by many samples which will tantalize your tastebuds and make you even more happily confused as you try and decide what to get to satisfy your sweet tooth! Thanks to the fact that I was a little day-drunk from consuming more Soju than I intented during lunch at Kogiya, my sweet tooth was in full effect, which made my visit to Shilla even more deliciously intoxicating. After treating myself to every sample of every tasty bread, pastry, and cookie that was on display, and receiving expert advice from Hannah that I should hold off on bing soo here, and get a boba drink instead, I opted for the Sour Apple bubble tea. Honestly, while I wasn't expecting a neon green drink, it brought me back to my childhood to indulge in a syrupy, sweet and frosty treat. There were tons of bubble balls, which were so fun to sip through the big straw (I sound like such a n00b, I know). Hannah et al sat with me indoors while I enjoyed my bubble tea - thanks, guys! There are SO many choices here, from coffee drinks, to teas, to bing soo, to breads, to pastries, to cakes, to cookies, and more! There is absolutely something for everyone here, and it's not expensive. I was a little bit intimidated and wish I had asked more questions about the different choices, but after suffering from some minor analysis paralysis, I'm so glad I chose the Sour Apple boba. I hope to return soon and nosh on some cake or a cookie with some coffee! It's a fun, bustling environment. Definitely worth a visit and something worth the trip!
(4)Jessie H.
If you want korean dessert, it's either here or breeze bakery in Annadale. This place has the better bingsoo (in my opinion). It's basically shaved ice with fruit toppings and a dash of strawberry syrup. It's about 10 bucks and can serve 5-6 people. SHARE! I got the bubble tea here before too, it's about ~5 - average. Same prices as breeze bakery so it really doesn't matter which one you go. They're at opposite ends on little river turnpike so I guess it depends where you are coming from. Breeze is closer to 66 and shilla is closer to 495.
(4)Carly C.
It's about time I showed this place some Yelp love. I've been noshing here for years on their yummy sweet treats. I probably have eaten more samples than is social acceptable too. Perhaps that's why the staff gives me the cold shoulder on most every visit. Lighten up ladies and gentlemen! You serve pastries all day! How can that make you blue? Anyway... I really love the offerings here. Coming early when the croquettes and doughnut twists are still warm is totally the way to go. Also the black sesame tofu chip things are killer. My last batch didn't last a day in my house. I'm sure they would be great on a salad or floating in soup, but popping them by themselves is quite tasty too. Well, here is your long overdue Yelp love Shilla. I promise to stay faithful even though I don't like your staffs' attitudes much. ;)
(4)Justine S.
I've lived in Annandale for 13 years and I've tried virtually all of the Korean bakeries. Many may disagree, but Shilla reigns #1. They have an assortment of frozen treats such as frozen yogurt, ice cream, bubble tea, bing soo; as well as coffee/espresso offerings; sandwiches; and baked goods/pastries. I personally do not care for their bubble tea (most Korean bakeries use powder as opposed to fresh fruit). Their bing soo flavors are vast and taste delicious and their portions are generous. They also have illy coffee--love! In my opinion, their pastries/baked goods rank higher than the others around. Most other places are hit or miss, but Shilla has stayed fairly consistent. They freshly make/bake their goodies every day (I've been there super early when they were just finishing putting it out). PS: There is plenty of seating and parking. Favorites: Green tea bing soo with red bean, yogurt bing soo, strawberry bing soo, mango bread, honeydew bread, yogurt bread, cream puffs, green tea latte, and Korean iced coffee. These have never failed me! Try it and you'll find yourself coming back time and time again!
(4)Jenner Y.
Um, yum! Looks like a lot of the lower reviews for this place are for the bingsoo. Having never had it here, this review is for the pastries. I vastly prefer Shilla's pastries to Breeze. I kept trying Breeze because of the higher ratings but was always disappointed. Shilla's is a little further from me and more inconvenient to get into, but I make the trip anyway. I always get the pie castella (?), just layers of light, spongey cake and flaky pastry for just $5-6. Also just had their curry croquette that was so awesome I actually paused after eating it just so I could savor it. Can't remember all the other things I've tried, but I mostly like everything unless I've just randomly chosen an item and am not sure what it's supposed to be. Also appreciate their variety; always seems to be something new to try when I go.
(5)Diana J.
This place is always busy when I come here. They have a big variety of bobas and bingsoo and tons of breads and cakes. Nothing here is overly sweet where it gives you a migraine. Everything is light and fluffy in regards to their cakes, pastries, and breads. It's not like American cakes where everything from the cake to the icing is like a million grams of sugar in each bite where it leaves you feeling gross.
(3)Arzo I.
Everything I try from here is great. Love their croissants, macaroons, pound cake, and fruit tarts. Plus the hours are great for a late night sweet snack.
(4)Jessica N.
This place is horrible overall. The ceiling is a mess. The staff is always so damn angry and rude. And the food tastes horrible. My friend got a grilled cheese sandwich there once...it was moist on top and wet (like damp) on the bottom. A sandwich should not be moist. Like how is this place still open? As for my incident, I got the mango mousse, but before I actually didn't know what it was. I just thought it looked cute. So, I proceeded to ask the cashier what it was and she replied in the BITCHIEST tone in EURF just to tell me it was mango mousse. This thing came out WARM. Your dessert should not be warm. It was jiggly too like wtf. And it tasted nothing like mango. I literally paid like 5 bucks for a jiggly piece of yellow crap.
(1)Sivilay T.
Came here on a Saturday night around 11:30 PM with Art, Adrienne and Rick after we'd just finished having our late night dinner at To Soc Chon. I won't compare this place to 85 Degrees because this is a Korean bakery, not Taiwanese. I'm not really a big fan of Korean pastries so this review might be a bit bias. Most of the Korean desserts/pastries I've had are either really bland or dry so I don't usually sought out Korean bakeries for those reasons. I picked a few items and walked up to pay at the register. After I finished paying, the cashier tells me to wait a minute and I wonder to myself if I did something wrong. She makes her way over to the front and picks out a chocolate filled pastry and puts it in my bag. Free pastry! How sweet of her! I seem to be getting a lot of free drinks/food lately... I had the mango castera which was actually pretty good. Not too sweet & definitely not bland or dry from my previous Korean pastry experiences. It was really filling too because I couldn't finish it considering I ate it for breakfast the next morning. The butter cream pastry was to die for. I just love butter cream in general. I had it as my lunch dessert and I enjoyed every bite. It was so good...I finished it even after a big lunch. The castella was very plain and simple. You can find these at most Chinese bakeries in Oakland Chinatown as well. The nut tart was probably my least favorite because it was bland and dry. LOL The free chocolate pastry was pretty good as well, but I'm not really big on chocolate pastries or cakes so it wouldn't be my purchase by choice. But it's nice to actually get to try it... Overall, I liked most of what I had. Service was welcoming and the fact that they stay open late is a bonus. Too bad I didn't get to try any of their drinks though because I heard they're pretty tasty.
(4)Jimmy D.
The service is bad. The older lady who was serving me seemed like she hated life and wanted to share her misery with me through horrible service. Decor is boring and could use a remodel. Considering this place probably makes a pretty penny, the owners should consider reinvesting into their business and make it pretty.
(1)Dani P.
The first time I came here, I wasn't privy to the wonderful world of Korean pastries and bing soo. My husband needed to go to Pep Boys across the street and we wandered in here while waiting for the maintenance on his car. You can get full just from all the free samples they give of their goods. Furthermore, their goods are all so cheap! I buy a snack for there, and return home with a bag full of delicious baked goods. I'll come here both as a social event and to study. When I'm here to study, I'll grab a table with a friend, drink a boba and eat a pastry, and put the headphones on. Their late hours are great for large groups, but also convenient for those of us who are night owls and do their best studying during night hours. If i'm in a group, we'll all split a bing soo. They're so delicious, and I know some people who can eat one on their own, but for me it's a very social activity.
(5)Candice D.
Cute and hip Korean bakery that has fresh goods. The always have a lot of samples...so try everything to your hearts content. Korean pastries aren't as sweet as American pastries so be prepared if you have an overly sweet tooth! I personally like it not too sweet. Also, try the Bingsoo and the Boboa Teas. For hot teas have to try the Cintron tea...so good!
(4)Anthony T.
Shilla always seem to be bustling and full of people. I've been to this location on multiple occasions, once during a summer afternoon and twice after dinner during the fall/winter, but there have always been plenty of people ordering drinks, bingsoo, and buns. Even though many of the other Yelpers have complaints about poor, "terse" service, I have to say that I've always been treated decently here (even with a lack of Korean language skills). That being said, for an Asian bakery/cafe, Shilla seems to be a bit pricier than most -- especially given the fact that I am used to the wallet-friendly cafe/bakeries of New York's Chinatowns. The cheapest buns probably run around $1.50-$2.00 and the pricier ones are over $3.00. The drinks are around the $3.00-$5.00 range, even for a cup of tea. But the buns have great taste and they frequently leave out free samples for tasting. Final verdict: come for the buns as a sweet ending to a night out
(3)Aya R.
My experience in Shilla Bakery has always been pleasant, but this time was different. I asked for a Black Milk Tea Boba and instead they gave me a Black Milk Tea smoothie. Now, this may seem like a small error on their part, and I believed it was too. But when I politely asked them if they could switch it to the milk tea (liquid) instead of smoothie, the people working there gave me such a hard time and acted so irritated. I asked if they had milk tea instead of the smoothie and the korean woman at the front register sarcastically said "we don't" (which they obviously do) and proceeded to talk to another coworker in korean (i assume about me?). After waiting for another 20 minutes, all while dodging their irritated glances at me, they finally brought out the correct order. This is the worst customer service experience I've ever had. I'm usually quite forgiving about these kinds of situations because I know these people have probably had a long, tiring day.... But this was just too much. I made a Yelp account just to write this review. It was that bad :(
(1)Candy W.
It looks better than its taste. I like the shop (cute setting, nice display,..etc) and they offer a lot of free samples but when it comes down to taste, it's just ok. Their jam roll was too soggy and napoleon sandwich had a very strong artificial taste, especially the strawberry-flavored cream. I had a green tea with boba but the matcha flavor was very weak. It tasted more like a sweet milk made from diluted sweet condensed milk than green tea. I mean, it doesn't taste horrible or anything--- it's A-OK, but I won't specificly make a trip or go out of my way to get their stuff at this expensive price. The staff can be a little unfriendly--- don't know whether they're busy, focused, or simply moody
(3)Hanna H.
Everything I have tried has been near to incredible. Within moments of walking through the doors, you are met with samples on samples of different pastries. You will certainly leave the place stuffed and content. It's almost like a free lunch! As for the beverages, all very very delicious. If you are feeling something more refreshing, I recommend the bingsoo (any fruit flavor) or if you want something a tad more heavy the bubble tea hits the spot (taro! thai! coffee!). Just know in advance, this place is dangerous because you'll be craving for more Shilla after you leave.
(5)Hannah H.
Mmmmm - I usually bypass the pastries and the bread samples, as in the evenings, they can get a little stale. Shilla is always packed, though, and it's amazing to see how some people just pack up on their breads (they actually carry around 2-3 baskets!)! I usually come here for my Sour Apple Boba drink (without the boba) - this time around, I did request them to add extra powder (I was so surprised that they've never used syrup, as I've always thought it was syrup-based!) - either way, the Sour Apple drink came out perfectly and it was delicious - nice and tart! Nom nom nom. +Sour Apple Boba (your choice of adding the tapioca or not) +don't forget to ask for extra powder! :D
(3)Stephanie T.
They never have the butter cream buns when I come. I've been here mornings and evenings.
(1)Chiiiiiiiiiii L.
Since I drove 88 miles to Annandale for Korean food, it's s/t/u/p/i/d not to hit one of the dessert places. Shilla Bakery looks like the typical dessert place where I usually go to after dinner at K-town in LA. Tried Mango Mousse and Lady Bug. They taste as expected. Mango mousse is like those I can get at Mak Cafe in K-town in LA. The difference is that they have more staffs than any of the Korean dessert places I have been to. i.e. no need to ring the bell to wait forever for someone to serve you. Got a foot long cake home for $9 only . 5-stars.
(5)Vivian C.
After going to Centreville's Shilla Bakery every week, I decided to try this location. I was disappointed for several reasons: -This bakery is small. I could barely find a table to sit at when I ordered my Bing Soo. The one in Centreville has plentiful seating and relaxing dim lighting. This place doesn't have a relaxing vibe at all. -This bakery is skimpy on the samples! The one Centreville gives you huge chunks of free bread for you to try! Plus, there aren't workers starring at you when you reach for a sample in Centreville. Here, the breads are in front of counter so every once and a while, you get glares from the workers if you're standing around too long. -I tried the Red Bean Bing-Soo and it was literally 80% Ice/Water and 20% Red Beans & Fruit. It was the worst Bing-Soo I have ever had...There goes $7 wasted. I'll continue to go to the Shilla Bakery in Centreville. It's more spacious; There's more better and more seating; The atmosphere is more inviting and relaxing; The Bing-Soo is 200% tastier; The samples are bigger =)
(1)Amr X.
Worse bakery in the town ever they gave a an expire cake n ma aunt got food poisoning, would not recommend this to no one!!
(1)T L.
I've been to Shilla so many times and the service is consistently good. This place is great when you don't want to meet your friends for lunch or dinner. For those with a busy schedule, just tell your friends to meet you at Shilla for pastries and tea or coffee. No one will ever know that you had originally planned for a short and sweet meeting when you realize you can't pull yourself away from the juicy gossip and end up staying for hours. I recommend the hot vanilla latte; it has just the right amount of sweetness and vanilla aroma. Free samples are always a plus because for someone like me who is unfamiliar with Korean pastries, I can taste before purchasing. No money going to waste here! Check out the most adorable cake designs at the counter! Don't be afraid to ask about the flavors. People are always willing to help you. Once you've made your purchases, you may get some extra free full-sized pastries. I just had a breakfast sandwich-like pastry that I'm so glad I took home and slathered ketchup on.
(4)Andrew C.
Visit Date: 07.04.2010 Good place to get Asian cakes, breads and drinks after eating Korean barbecue. They have numerous free samples of their baked products, which you can heavily take advantage of, like I usually do lol.
(4)Juliet K.
on weekends they have sample of most of their newer bakery items. they also have cakes, ice cream, bing soo, and coffees to order at the register. i LOVE their red bean bing soo. you can get a scoop of ice cream on top for a little bit of an extra charge. totally worth and you can share ONE with about 4 people comfortably. YUMMMMM!
(4)Juichia C.
It's hard to find Asian style baked goods in the US. Having grown up in Taiwan, I've never been able to get used to the super sweet icing covered sweets they offer here in the US. Asian pastries offer more delicate flavored sweet desserts that don't give you diabetes (or at least not as quickly). Instead of heavy pies, icing covered cakes, you will find fluffy breads, cakes and heavenly whipped cream at Shilla's. Shilla's is one of my boyfriend and I's favorite places in NOVA. I'm not talking about just bakeries or cafes or restaurants, but PLACES!!! First of all, it will be a difficult task for anyone to find a bakery that offers as wide a variety of pastries as Shilla's does. Though the cafe is not huge, they definitely display over 70 kinds of pastries in there - maybe even 100? I'm not sure, I always get so overwhelmed when I'm there. Second of all, they always put out a good variety of samples that everyone can enjoy! From pineapple cakes, to croissant sandwiches, to red bean donuts, to fruit whipped cream cake, to tapioca bread.... you name it. Shilla's is such a treat. On top of all the pastries, they also offer sandwiches which aren't bad, bubble tea, amazing Italian coffee, and Bing Soo (Korean for shaved ice). Everything is good! Oh yea, how could I forget the frozen yogurt, it's good there too. I can't pinpoint one or two things to recommend because I try something different almost every time I go there, and I love it every single time. The cafe is nicely designed, there is plenty of seating and service is fast. Prices are very reasonable!
(5)Boon K.
They have a great selection of pastry with huge sample tasting. The Bing soo are huge but a little sweet for me.
(3)Jessica K.
haven't been in here for awhile. stopped by. this place is crawling with young kids? when did it become the "it" spot for high school, korean kids?? this place is getting too crowded for me. i think it's time to find a new korean bakery
(3)David W.
This place is a-alright... The bubble tea strawberry is good (probably the best flavor they got) and they let you sample the bread which is nice. BUT what's up with the service??? Damn.. Me and a Korean buddy (who hasn't been in the U.S. for more than a couple months) went here and ordered some bubble tea and may have taken a second longer to get the right amount of cash out. The rude korean cashier slowly repeated the total "eight.... fourty.... one...." even though it was clear that my friend was korean and the cashier was korean too. Can't you guys be a lil more respectful, especially to people from your own country?? WTF man, be respectful. This wasn't the only time either.. I really don't like people who look annoyed or try to rush you to order something, especially when its not even busy... thats what erks me. I try to avoid ordering from here, solely cause I don wanna flip out on anyone. If you want some decent korean bread, yogurt, tea then go. But, don't expect any smiling workers taking your order.. O btw. a new korean bakery opened up called BREEZE in annandale, the decor is nice, and people seem much more lax there, will probably try it this wkend. GO THERE INSTEAD!
(2)Ross M.
Korean bakery worth checking out. Free samples, so there are flocks of Korean women stuffing their faces with bread and other baked goods. We got a green tea moose that was okay, and a Korean iced coffee, which I liked better than the Vietnamese style coffee for some reason. Place was a mad house and there was nowhere to sit. The parking lot was also really cramped. Overall, I though the bread was okay, but I still prefer a nice French style croissant from Cenan's in Vienna, as well as other sweet treats from Silva's in Vienna.Honest truth.
(3)Christina S.
This is the best bakery I found in Nova area. Every time I go to Annadale, this is the place I must stop. Everything they serve here is good, and they add new items all the times. From the pond cake to the breakfast sandwich, from the little goody to the birthday cake, everything is amazing. Not to mention they serve Lilly coffee too. You must try this bakery.
(5)Jesus J.
So I discovered another Shilla location in Rockville, MD, which is great because I live closer to Rockville than Annandale. The Rockville location is just as good as Annandale's. Some other excellent things I've tried are: * Their teas - especially the hot ginger tea. * Their selection of breads - especially the "milk" breads * A wide variety of pastries. Every one I've tried has been excellent (I recommend trying the potato bread treat). Even if there's a lot of customers, Shilla has a very relaxing atmosphere. It's such a better alternative to your more corporate (and sometimes loud) coffee and pastry shops.
(5)Nolan C.
I was pleasantly surprised after visiting. My friend had a Thai Iced Tea Boba slush and we shared a Green Tea Bingsoo. So good! I think I liked the bingsoo from Bob's Noodle 66 more in Maryland but it was still good nonetheless. Huge bowl of stuff for $6.50. I thought the place was pretty clean and the parking wasn't bad for me. Went on a Thursday afternoon. Samples of all the cakes were brought out as well, although I agree that many of them tasted similar. Still, great place for dessert (considering the plethora of Korean restaurants around this place).
(5)Steve O.
Typical low-key night in Annandale goes something like this: Get your grub on by feasting at places like Honey Pig or Yechon. Then make your way down the street to Shilla for some post-carnivorous activity desserts... then just sit and let it all digest in harmony. I've never been a fan of their coffee but that's not why we come here is it? It's the bingsoo, the yogurt, the cakes, and all different types of breads to take home. That's why we come here. I make sure to fill my bag of the classic paht bang and I'm good for the week. Great, chill place with great desserts and bread options (and all at decent prices). Of the dozens of times I've been there, service has always been excellent. And they keep the bathrooms clean! Highly recommend Shilla. And if you don't know, now you know.
(4)J. A.
I wasn't impressed at all. I can't remember exactly what I had, but it was some sort of blueberry tart. It was so bland. I tried my friends' desserts as well, and they all tasted bland and boring. Also, I noticed all my friends received nice plates with their desserts, but I was served with a cheap paper plate, which I thought was kind of strange. I wasn't the last one served, so it's not like they ran out. I give two stars for the nice decor, the presentation of the desserts, and the variety they have on the menu. I've only tried the Annandale location, so I'm not sure if the other locations are better.
(2)H.R. N.
I'm not being a hater. I'm really not. I'm just keeping it real. I'm not saying the stuff in this bakery is not good. Nope. Allz I'm sayin' is that they're average. People get caught up in the fancy wrapping, the neat presentation and the overall high-quality feel of Shilla. But where the rubber meets the road, which is to say where the flavor hits the tongue--I'm feeling like I've had many of these confections somewhere else before and tastier. It just seems that many of what is in here have muted flavors that stand in contrast to its Latin and Southeast Asian counterparts. And yet, it's still a nice bakery to stop by and get coffee and chit chat.
(3)Gideon C.
Ended up popping by here for some dessert after being a complete fat ass at Honey Pig - and I was pretty impressed. The selection (while all kind of cramped together in the front of the store) is pretty nice - have all of your breads and baked goods, desserts, and heartier choices upfront with a TON of samples for each one. I especially liked that they had croquettes stuffed with meat - the curry chicken one was pretty delicious. They have a decent selection of sandwiches, cafe drinks, the macaroons are good and fairly priced. The bing-soo is what everyone comes here for apparently but I settled for bubble tea. The baked goods were on point - though I found some options to be a little too buttery and flour-y. The mochi I bought was about covered in flour and the pastries stuffed with cream seemed to have to much butter - which leaves that weird greasy film in your mouth after a bit. For the most part most selections were under a dollar, with the fancier options generally under two or three. The staff was actually really friendly and rang me up pretty fast considering I turned into a complete fat-ass and started stacking up. Parking does suck though, I suggest looking in the back or park on the side street and walk over. And to those complaining about the workers glaring at you while you're wolfing down the free samples - how about you BUY something after you had your fill? There was a few looky-loos who stopped by and stuffed their face with the samples and then left. I seemed to be the only guy in there who actually bought something.
(4)Anthony H.
Shilla Bakery is a great chill place to stop in for some good dessert. I have had the frozen yogurt, cream puffs, and cheese cake. All three were very good but not excellent. The yogurt was the right size with standard fruit toppings. Good. The cream puff was very well made. Not overly sugary and the crust and cream were well balanced. I am told there is a strawberry filled puff that I MUST return to try. The cheese cake was equally balanced in flavors of the fruit, cheesecake, and crust. 2.5 Stars then. The additional 1.5 Stars is for the excellent and efficient service. Impressed!
(4)Jake K.
The four stars come from the baked goods and the shaved ice. The lack of the fifth star comes from the fact that the teens working there are unfriendly. But hey, it's a Korean business. For the uninitiated, this can be a turn off, but anyone who has lived in Korea (or even visited for that matter) will find that it's par for the course. Every time I go, it's only for the shaved ice. Yum - just like home. The problem comes when you start getting these weird and crazy varieties. I'm going to go with the three that I've eaten - the rest just look like crap to me. 1. Paht bing soo - this is the standard for shaved ice. You get fruit, sweet red beans (and yes, it's quite tasty, America!), mochi balls, shaved ice, and a little sweet cream to top things off (sometimes they cheat and give milk). Definitely a favorite and oh - unless you're: 1) heading for Jenny Craig/Weight Watchers (like me) 2) are a Korean girl who is a 34-26-32 and can pack away 50,000 lbs of food despite your boyfriend/husband's horrified expression and not gain a pound (like my wife) 3) don't mind eating a water based meal for dinner Get the desert as something for two. Or be prepared to push away from the table after eating half. It's a lot - and that goes for all of the shaved ice desserts. 2. Gwa il bing soo - this is a variation of the above only that it has more fruit and no beans. So-so - I see a lot of mom-daughter duos coming in to have this dessert together. Low fat (maybe that's why it's a ladies' favorite), not as heavy. Personally, give me the protein from the red beans and fat from the cream! 3. Nok cha bing soo - utter crap unless you like eating green tea ice cream with green tea powder and water. Not as much of a success as the first one. In my personal opinion (and that's why we yelp, right?), this is the same no matter if you get the coffee or strawberry renditions as well. Oh - a comment about the ambiance - it really lacks any. If you enjoy the environment where you get both ends of the social spectrum (a bunch of adults or a bunch of yelling teens), then by all means go there. If not, you may want to avoid peak hours and take this as a lunch time coffee/dessert spot on the weekends. Any other time can be horrendous. If you're Korean, avoid pinching, poking, kissing, or any other "scandalous" behavior in this place - your parents will find out quickly. In my case, my DRY CLEANER knew I was there with my wife...I blame the CIA influence in this town for all of the social spies!!!
(4)Rashmi E.
My quest for a perfect Patbingsoo took me to Shilla's today. Omg... I sooo did not know what I was missing all these days. Their patbingsooo was friggin amazing. The red beans were done just right and were very flavorful. The fruits were delicious including watermelon. The roasted gram powder was just right. And they were very generous with the condensed milk. It was just such a perfect bowl of yummmy icyness. Yes, the price is $7... but its definitely those summer days when you'd rather have an ice dessert than a full dinner. I am definitely coming back each week. While I was there I also saw some really good looking boba teas, and perhaps one day I'll just have to go for that. Also all the breads looked delish.. and they put out samples for quite a few, which is an added bonus. Shilla's is a MUST visit.
(5)Chris L.
I love get bingsoo here. It's the best. They're pastries are delicious too but kinda expensive I think
(5)joseph t.
There are plenty of bakery in K-Town Annandale, VA, but there is one that lives in my head rent free, i only wish it can live in my mouth rent free. Shillawet Bakery, if you been there long enough it become personally on a first name base. The strawberry bingsoos, Dayum Soooo Goood, all kind of choices and its comes in a big portion. I'm a bakery person and this is one place that captivated my attention with all its' sweetness. One of my favorite food fetish stop and go places.
(3)Alan W.
Great place for some bingsoo or bakery.
(4)Peter T.
This is a cool place, but very crowded on a Sat night! I don't think hanging out here is such fun when it is full of noisy adolescents, but they have a nice assortment of baked goods that you can take with you. My favorite are the walnut cookies, a soft cookie shaped like a walnut shell with a piece of walnut and a red bean paste filling. I also like the Japanese-style white bread, which reminds me of Tokyo. I tried a bingsoo once. Not to my liking, but it's clearly a very popular choice here.
(4)Betsey L.
I've been to Shilla Bakery a handful of times and it is a great place to meet up with friends and have snack or dessert or drink. It is opened late on weekends which is nice and has ample seating. bu OK....How much are styrofoam dessert plates? Can't be more than a few cents each right? The other evening, we bought a small cake for my friend's bday. $24.95. Not cheap to say the least. We were given 4 small styrofoam plates and asked for 2 more since there were 6 of us. Shilla man said -No, the cake is for 4 people so I can only give you 4 plates. Us: we just want 2 plates, can we have 2 additional plates? Shill man: no i can't give you two more plates. wow....baffled. really? After buying a $24.95 cake you are going to dictate that the cake only feeds 4 people? I mean yeah, 4 people can eat the cake ....if they are fatasses and eat huge cake slices. After being denied, we sent up the ONE korean guy in our group. my korean friend said sometimes things like this happen because we're not korean. So token korean went up to ask for 2 more styrofoam plates, in korean. DENIED. As an act of rebellion from being denied 2 styrofoam plates, token korean friend grabbed 2 handfuls of plastic forks. So no thanks but thanks Shilla Bakery for the 30 something black plastic forks. The $25 cake was OK. way too much icing. it was like, 50:50 cake/icing ratio. after scraping off the unwanted icing we piled it together and sculpted a face out of the mass excess amount of icing.
(3)Rach A.
Free samples!! There is a great selection too. yes, it might be on the pricier side for boba made with powder (not real fruit), but it's still good!
(4)lily c.
If you are from LA and have been craving pinkberry frozen yogurt (see yelp.com/biz/XfWAeLQH6C-… ), then go to Shilla, which has its own brand of the tart treat. Sweet Green in Georgetown has the froyo too but it is more expensive than Shilla (but much closer for those in DC) ( yelp.com/biz/pv6BJIm7yNB… )
(3)Newton N.
Dear Shilla Bakery, Like I know that Breeze Bakery has become the new "it" place in Annandale, but please don't give up on yourself. I went for Pat Bing Soo a couple weeks ago and the red bean tasted like it was slightly burnt -- you know, that reminiscent taste that makes you think back on when your mom left the pot of stew on the stove unattended for a few minutes too long -- yeah, that taste....gross. Please tell your employees to watch the stove while they cook the red bean. Lastly, it's 2011 - you, being a Korean establishment, should be familiarized with the "well-being" wave that is flashing through all of Asia - I mean, you advertise it yourself, with your "well-being yogurt. Can you please start serving ORGANIC green tea? I mean, organic doesn't cost much more than regular green tea, and I'm sure you could inflate the prices of your hot teas to make this small, but earth and human friendly change. I swear, I won't even mind if you start charging more for your tea bags -- organic is worth it. Love, Me P.S. I saw how your pumpkin face, but fairly friendly cashier, telling one of your managers that I asked if you would consider serving organic tea -- I think she thought it was all giggles, but I was dead serious. Please go green and start serving organic tea; it's the classy thing to do. ;o)
(2)Grace T.
Like you're right in Korea... however I've been seeing more and more non-Koreans there. Their pastries are delicious. Bread is baked fresh and there is always a wide selection. My faves are the strawberry creme filled bread, mochi, the corn cassle (think that's what it's called) bread and the strawberry bin soo (shaved ice, strawberry ice cream, fresh strawberries, mochi and some pink strawberry/condensed milk syrup). Their fro-yo isn't bad and they offer toppings, but not a lot. I'm not a huge fan of their drinks, got Taro bubble tea and my bubbles were stale and narsty. After having bubble tea in NYC and other cities, I was not satisfied and resorted to launching my stale bubbles with my straw. And they sell the Italian Illy coffee, which is supposed to be FANtastic... I mean really... it's coffee... And I leave you with a lame-funny story... this guy in front of me ordered two bin soos (traditionally with shaved ice with red bean, condensed milk, fruit, ice cream, mochi, etc.) with NO milk products cause the girl he was with is lactose intolerant.... WHY would you bring her here then? Idiot.
(4)Thara S.
I like to go here on hot summer days. I'm a huge fan of pastries and desserts-- if you are too, then this is a great restaurant to eat at! This place can get really crowded, I wish it was bigger so everyone could have some space.
(4)ann p.
Chocolate whipped cream cake is absolutely delicious! :) My favorite cake of all time (for now). Has chocolate flavors but not too sweet, whipped light frosting with a hint of cocoa syrup and a very fluffy cake. MMMMM! And I'm not a sweet person either but this is yummy!
(5)Mileska R.
Hecks yea imagine my surprise seeing the bakery in Annandale?! Woo I have not frequented a SB since 2006.....IN KOREA! I manned up and ordered BINGSOO!! Heck yea it was fresh, fruity and delightful. I want the one with soft serve on top with cornflakes! Their pastries are absolutely beautiful and scrumptious! I frequent to buy co-workers a little cute pastry for their bdays. The salty people at work get JACK! Recommend you take home some opera cake fruit tart and sweet cream bread loaf. Calories but awesome tasty party in your mouth!
(4)Leann P.
One of my favorite places to go, it's about a 40 min drive for me, but I always need to come here. I love their bubble tea because it is the frozen slushy kind. I always get the black milk tea; I am not a big fruit flavored fan. I love how sweet it is! Their "bubbles" (tapioca) are sweet also! I love that! I put sugar and honey in my boiling water when I make my own bubble tea. Bubble are always cooked perfectly. I have had their little cakes before, very yummy and definitely not too sweet! ^^;; They are decorated to pretty and taste really yummy also! I LOVE LOVE LOVE their butter cream buns Mmmmm ^^;; I just ate in actually, they are sooo delicious! They have a very nice amount of butter cream, it isn't overbearing and oozing out of the sides, it is just enough to make your bun sweet. I don't like too much butter cream, so this is great! I have had many other breads and goodies here and I cannot complain about any of them. To me, it's worth the 40 minute drive, but thats just me.
(5)Yan W.
A few years back, this used to be the "it" place, but now you can actually find parking. The service here I've found has been hit or miss. Sometimes, due to the high customer traffic, they will forget your order. I've always preferred the bingsoo and ice pops (coffee) here compared to other Korean bakeries.
(3)Tracie M.
I'm a bing soo newbie so I have nothing to compare this to. All I can say is wow! It was refreshing and -- for me -- very different. I had the banana bing soo. Next time I might try the green tea flavor. It was scrumptious, although I'm not really a fan of Korean rice cakes. The rest of it was delicious and the bowl was huge! (When I ordered I thought $6.50 was a lot but you get your money's worth. It would be a good dessert to share, that's how big it is.) Also the baked goods looked delicious. I could go waaaay overboard on carbs in this place. It seemed like a place you could go to study or hang out or something. There was a lot of tables, also a lot of Korean people hanging out, so that makes me think it must be authentic. (I wouldn't know.) I was a little bit confused when the cashier took my order and then disappeared for what seemed like 10+ minutes. Just when I was thinking she had forgotten about me and gone to take her break or something, my bing soo appeared. It was a fairly elaborate concoction so I see what it took a little while to put together. I will return again when I need another refreshing treat. Perhaps tomorrow!
(4)Jade T.
I had trouble deciding what to get for dessert, as there seemed to be a lack of labels in front of most of the cakes in the display fridge. I decided to go with the Strawberry Mousse. (Bingsoo was on my mind, but tofu soup was -very- filling!) I've never had anything like this. Chocolate mousse, duh, I've had plenty of time before... but strawberry? It was so light, but not too fluffy. Sweet, and tastes of artificial strawberry (which isn't bad - do you complain over strawberry Pocky's flavor?). A vanilla cake serves as the base of the mousse, giving it some "substance". It was a tiny piece, but it was very rich. Neither my friend and I could finish the last bite. Then again, he was on the verge of upchucking from overeating earlier, and I naturally have a small appetite. (I honestly didn't try anything else, but you can read the other, more thorough Yelp reviews.)
(4)Sam H.
Aww it's summer time... I gotta start my craving for bing soo... only if fro yo didn't get in the way... lol Well I used to come here often for bing soo. I have to say this place is standard bing soo. It isn't any monstrosity of Dolce but... if you want something light... and this not be the main event... It does it's job. :) Enough ice with a generous porition of duk and fruit ( you might have to ask for duk) Plus this place is right next to all the good korean restaurants so... if you want dessert.. come check it out. :) The bakery is also generous in their selection. They have a sample section you can try if you'd like Oh yeah the fro you... this place had it before the whole famous crazy began. So... it's the pretty standard fro yo place. Come here to enjoy some fro yo, bing soo, or some baked goods with coffee. :)I fyou have good company and want to talk... come here. :)
(4)Jin K.
Very rude, non-existent customer service. Instead of greeting customers, employees behind the checkout counter continued with their chit chatting while making us--the customers---feel like we're interrupting them. Further, tables are placed too closely together. I recommend patronizing other bakeries in Annandale.
(1)john b.
Had their red bean Paht Bing Soo.. its wonderful during the spring/summer months... shaved ice, fresh fruit, small bits of asian rice cake, red bean paste, some type of cream, and a light brown powder (don't remember the name but i believe its a type of grain). From my experience, its better during the summer as the fruits are in season rather than in the winter when they're more likely to use canned fruits (which is still ok but can't compare to fresh fruit). I haven't tried the one at Le Matin de Paris so I can't compare. I also tried the turkey-artichoke sandwich which was pretty good.
(4)PC W.
The $6.50 price tag for a strawberry bingsoo is much more justifiable than a similarly-sized one at Dolce for $8.50. However, I think the fruit at Dolce is fresher. The ice cream quality is comparable. I do not like red bean paste and there were multiple pockets of it in the bingsoo. I'll just have to ask them to hold it next time but for all you red bean paste lovers like Keri M., you're getting more for your money than Dolce's strawberry bingsoo.
(4)Kathleen M.
Having never had bingsoo, I let Jeff W. do the ordering, as he was on a mission. The thought of fruit and shaved ice seemed pretty simple to me, but I didn't understand paying nearly $7 for it. Still, I subsidized his request. :) The ice tasted like ice and the fruit tasted like syrupy fruit. Within seconds we had a soupy fruit cocktail on our hands, and no one wants that! It appeared that the bingsoos that included ice cream lasted folks a bit longer, and I think I'd opt for one of them if I were to return to Shilla... although the pineapple I sampled totally weirded me out. Was it ice cream? Custard? Sorbet? Yogurt? I have no idea, but I wasn't sold.
(3)J H.
In 2009 I rated this 5 stars. In 2009, there was nothing else. Now, one star minused since there are better! Yay for competition! I am not a fan of their pastries. Though I sneak in samples often. I like the boba but I am preferenced to Taiwan's original liquid form (Not super fan of smoothie-like drinks) - oh and it's also more expensive as smoothie-d. This is the only chill-loungey like place I know that I can get satisfying bing-soo. Win for the bingsoo!
(4)Roll T.
First, let me do my best to describe bingsoo because if you are not Korean, then it probably doesn't help for me to keep mentioning bingsoo as until my visit to Shilla Bakery, I had no idea what it meant or that it was even something that people eat. If you look in the photograph section for Shilla Bakery, you will find large piles of ice and syrup over fruit. These humongous desserts are indeed bingsoo. Think of it as a more convenient method for stating, "large ice, fruit, syrup, red bean paste, and ice cream combination." See, that isn't too easy. Strawberry bingsoo is much easier on the tongue. Speaking of the tongue, depending on how you order, it could either be delighted or let down. I'd suggest going with the strawberry flavored bingsoo. It comes with tasty strawberry ice cream, loads of ice, and a pile of strawberries at the bottom (it should be noted that the fruit here could have been more fresh). You can do all sorts of flavors -- there was a green tea one that I thought might be promising and there was the fruit one that I tried that just didn't hit the spot. The dessert is cheap here. It was less than $8, and it easily serves two people (possibly three if you are judicious). Other competing places have more expensive bingsoo, but from all accounts, it appears that those places might be better (Dolce, Let Matin de Paris, etc.). I won't know which one is the best unless and until I visit all of them, but I can say that while the novelty factor is interesting, the all-important taste of Shilla's dessert was pretty much what I expected and unfortunately uncompelling.
(3)Lily L.
Shilla is a Korean bakery that offers an assortment of cakes, breads, and drinks (coffee, fruit drinks, etc). I have only gone there to buy the individually wrapped breads/cakes and a wedding cake. I think their prices for those items are reasonably priced, especially for the wedding cake. If you are interested in purchasing an Asian cream cake for any occasion (birthday, graduation, wedding, etc), I would recommend checking out Shilla. If you do not speak Korean, I would warn you that I had some minor difficultly conveying what I wanted. I just had to repeat myself on a few requests, so it was nothing traumatic.
(3)Trish A.
I wouldn't go as far as a recent reviewer giving Annandale's Shilla just 1 star because it didn't have as many samples (which really just depends on how many people came before you wanting to eat samples, and this location is ALWAYS busy, so..) as Centreville's location, which is entirely "more better." I will say that some of the full cakes are pricey, but a lot of effort and ingredients go into them so they're a good splurge for special occasions. I agree that bingsoos can have too much ice sometimes. The boba drinks are usually great, except the last time the bf and i went, we ordered thai tea w boba and it tasted like thai tea's severely mutated sibling who's shackled and hidden down in the basement a la "The Goonies," bc it was syrupy, bitter hell. Sall good, we ordered honeydew instead free of charge. Good display of customer service, which, if you didn't know, is rare when it comes to korean food establishments. I come from the land of kimchi, so trust me. All in all, decent krn bakery w a wide selection of sweets. Excuse the annoying abbrevs, totes writing this on my dud of a phone right now. Touchscreen makes it hard to type. First world problems yo
(3)Tony P.
So the Carnie Crew ended up coming here after being disappointed by Le Matin de Paris. There were several variations of Bing Soo. I didn't try any myself, but the other Carnie Crew got mini-Vesuvian mounds of Bing Soo. I opted for the almond cream pastry. It was ok, unless I've got a hankering for Bing Soo, I think I'll stick with a real french patisserie.
(3)Laila L.
Can't beat their yogurt bingsoo. bopbingsoo (whatever that was that i ordered at the andong chicken place in daegu) plus korean tangy yogurt. nummy! if you go after your bbq or bonchon dinner on the weekends, or even late night during the week, it will be crowded. and there will probably be only 1 or 2 of the red bean pastries you were looking forward to all week left in the wicker baskets. but it's an awesome place to get more food to soak up the soju, especially if you don't have the energy for the norebong. and hey, who cares if they look at me like the crazy not-korean girl getting all hot and bothered about their desserts. (they acted like it was weird for me to ask for cornflakes on the red bean bingsoo). i got $10 in my pocket and a mission on my mind.
(4)John K.
Shilla Bakery is one of the best bakeries in the Northern Virginia area, hands down. I'll tell you why. The prices are very reasonable, considering what kind of ingredients go in/on the baked goods and dessert. And the portions are just right or a little bit more than what you will pay for -- you will not be disappointed with the amount you're getting with what you're paying for. The presentation and decoration of the cakes, buns, bread, dessert is excellent. This is greatly due to the Korean-style baking method -- "Look good, taste good". Especially if you have a boyfriend/girlfriend or another loved one and it's a special occasion, I would definitely recommend purchasing a cake from here -- It will impress them hands down. There are many locations in the northern Virginia area under Shilla and they all meet the exemplary status that Shilla bestows, but I think the main bakery is located in Annandale, Virginia. I recommend this place to anyone who is in the Fairfax/DC area to give a visit to Shilla and enjoy what Shilla has to offer. Thumbs up!
(5)Jeff W.
I've given Dolce 2 stars because of their absurdly high prices, but I actually prefer their bingsoo over Shilla's, despite the larger portion at Shilla. Shilla gives you a huge mountain, but there is much less fresh fruit, at least in the fruit bingsoo. It seemed that the majority of fruit was canned! Del Monte fruit cocktail bingsoo? No thanks. The price is right, and the baked goods I sampled were pretty good, but there has to be better bingsoo out there that is around the same price, I just don't know where it is!
(3)Stephanie T.
This place reminds me of when I was in high school, where the in place to go was Coffee or Tea? and Panya (both in Hawaii).I remember staying for hours at a time sipping away on bubble drinks gossiping, shrieking (I was one irritating girl), giggling, and all the things we find irritating about teeny boppers. The exact same atmosphere can be found at Shilla. So if you're like me and had similar high school experience, you can come here to relive it again. BTW -The potato cake, sponge cupcake, and cream pan are all delicious. -Try to stay away from the mango bubble drink....it doesn't taste like mango...it's more of a mystery favor. -Love French toast? The Japanese bread is perfect for making it. -If you get the bingsoo be sure to bring at least three people or a big appetite, it's pretty big. My bf and I thought we had the "black hole stomach syndrome" but we stand corrected. -The baked goods mold fast, so try to eat it fast or put it the fridge in an air tight bag
(4)Hass L.
Give the girl who reco'd the Butter Bread a GOLD STAR. That shizz is dangerous. I think I ate the entire thing in about two sittings. Kinda felt sick afterwards. Piece of advice: spread the butter, spread the love! (Since the butter cream is in the center of the loaf, which itself is like a giant sliced, nouvau-riche twinkie... take some of the excess and redistribute it to other less fortunate parts of the loaf. On a per-slice-basis, like any decent liberal socialist.) RE: The Fro Yo. Not as good as the Pinkberry wannabes in the district. But no demerit to this place since it is a delicious bakery first and foremost.
(4)Go K.
Date Attended: Saturday, 01/09/10 Lots of delicious bakery foods. Strawberry shortcake was delicious. Chocolate pound cake was good too. Kick back, relax, and enjoy!
(4)William L.
Love the fresh pastries, bread, bday cakes, bingsu... free wifi and definitely more character than a starbucks... just have to be used to the k-pop music though...
(4)Daniel H.
Poor service and worst bingsoo i ever had in the va area... Would not recommend this place.. There's a more quiet coffee shop called dolce right next door..
(1)Karman L.
Another place for Bingsoo....it's a little bit cheaper than Dolce. $6.50 here vs. $8.50 at Dolce. Maybe it's my imagination...I think the portion is a bit bigger here. I had the red bean bingsoo here (remember...this one doesn't have any ice-cream in it!)
(4)Genny R.
I LOVE SHILLA BAKERY! The beautiful cakes and patisseries are more for display then for buying because they're all so pricey. I admit I was a bit intimidated at first, but after a quick walk around the store (and a few of the amazing free samples) I was grabbing random items into a basket. My favorite is the white bean donut . The red bean donut, red bean bread, cream soboro (the filling is amazing!), mocha cake and the tapioca bread are also really good. The best thing about the bread is that it's never too sweet and they don't have that "I've lived in this plastic bag for a month" flavor that some asian bakeries have. Unfortunately I was not so happy with my cantaloupe boba that I bought. The balls were kinda' stale. But they did flavor the balls with something sweet so it wasn't too bad. The yogurt was also kind of a let down. BUT MY FAVORITE FAVORITE THING ABOUT SHILLA BAKERY: The bing-soo is amazing. I love the red bean version. I swear every time I find a mochi ball I got excited. My friend had the coffee bing-soo and it was good with the corn flakes, while my other friend got strawberry. Shilla has the cheapest bing-soo in the area and I really like it. Don't get the yogurt bing-soo though because their yogurt clashes with the sweet condensed milk.
(4)Su K.
After gorging at Oegadgib for more than 2 hours and splitting a Dolce bingsoo between 3, I was really full but incredibly thirsty. Koreandale must be one of the only places on earth that doesn't have a convenient 7-11, so I decide to stop into Shilla and get a bubble tea. Having spent all my cash going dutch w/ other Yelpers, I was dismayed to see the $5 minimum for credit card sign. I was even more dismayed to find out that my bubble tea was $5.20 after tax. I ordered the sour green apple, thinking that I would get green tea w/ sour apple flavoring, but instead, I got a giant green apple blowpop smoothie w/ boba instead of a gumball center. It was refreshing, albeit a little too sour, and the blowpop-esque flavor had me nostalgic on the drive home. But for some odd reason, I began humming along to, "whatever it is, I think I see, becomes a Tootsie Roll to me," as I couldn't remember the blow pop ad. As far as their baked goods, it may be a bit alarming, but their perishable goods stored at room temperature are surprisingly good*. I enjoy the pizza bread but my all time favorite is the Veggie Bread (yah che bbang). Decor is not as slick as Dolce but I think the bingsoo and baked goods are better here. The parking lot is an absolute nightmare if all the spots directly in front of Shilla are taken. *Note: Su K. is not responsible for any food-borne illnesses or explosive diarrhea resulting from consuming improperly stored food items.
(3)paul l.
This place is your standard korean bakery... if you like korean pastries than this is the place for you! It gets PACKED on a weekend night, so you will have to wait for a table. it seems like the main item had by people here is the shaved ice, which is called bingsoo in korean. but honestly, they have so many kinds of bingsoo, it's hard to choose! if i was a young teen, or college person even, i would love hanging out here on the weekends. but as a guy my age, i think that it's not really my social scene. i guess annandale really has no places you can walk to, which is a big gripe of mine. It's kind of depressing the way the whole place looks. but I guess this is a happy spot amidst a depressing land scape.
(3)Eugene H.
Cool and interesting pastries here. I got the red bean bingsoo which is pretty similar to Taiwanese shaved ice except the toppings are on the bottom where as the Taiwanese ones I'm used to have the toppings on top of the shaved ice. Aside from that, red bean, condensed milk, some other fruit and you have yourself a nice dessert perfect for the summertime!
(4)Brendan J.
The good I haven't tried the bingsu at the Centreville or Rockville locations so I can't compare, but I think it is pretty good here. The green tea one or the fruit ones are good. It seems like they only give you bingsu ddeok (soft chewy pieces of sweetened rice cake) sometimes though. The frozen yogurt thing was pretty good too. The baked goods are pretty standard for Korean bakeries, but they do them well. I really like the chestnut bread, and they have good butter cream buns. There are several flavors (mocha, vanilla, strawberry, soboro cream...), but all the butter cream versions all sort of taste the same to me. None of my Korean friends seem to know what 'soboro' means, but in Japanese it means minced, so maybe it is minced cream? I dunno. The butter cream stuffed bread (is it brioche?) is kind of delicious and nasty at the same time in it's artery clogging extravagance. I refuse to buy it since if we have it at home I keep eating it even though it is basically white bread, sugar, and butter. The not so good I like Shilla, but I think they've been slacking or coasting for a while since it is so popular. If you get any of the breads, check to make sure it is fresh!!! I don't think they're so scrupulous about throwing out or even checking day old products. I've come across butter cream buns that had mold on them, and I received a roll cake as a gift that was totally moldy. It was boxed and probably from the fridge section, so I guess the person who gave it to us didn't check first, but nasty! and sadly unedible.
(3)Michael B.
They always have an assortment of samples, awesome place. Huge selection, everything is very good. Must try the ice cream and the pat bing soo is verry very good. I tried the red bean and strawberry, I think that the red bean is probably better. The strawberry is very creamy. I like the rice cake that is inside the bing soo. The portion is big enough for 2 people too!
(4)DeeDee O.
Cozy atmosphere & nice decor. Wide selection of pastries that are just all right -- they're a little bit on the pricey side. I think the cakes are cute too, but I don't think the small ones are worth the amount that Shilla's selling it for. One of the best parts? Free samples! Yay for freebies! Oh & bing soo! It's HUGE & very delicious! Good price/value if you share with someone. I was very disappointed with the bubble tea. I don't exactly know how to describe it...But it's so stiff! Like it's a way over-whipped smoothie! Not only that, but it's pricey! Definitely not one of my fav. parts. I'd rather order my bubble tea from Maria's Bakery.
(3)Janet H.
i like it, and there's this one bread there that i absolutely love (it has the flaky crisps sandwiched between really soft sponge cake layers, with a bit of whipped buttercream in between). tho i do have to warn, their whipped buttercream is VERY buttery, which sometimes is overkill. tho i'd go back for that flaky soft cake thing-a-ma-bob (oof.. i need to find it's name..)
(4)Melody C.
had to give this a separate review from the rockville one because this one is so different... they sell the same stuff but they're bigger, always more crowded and bumpin'...the bakery stockpile is larger, and it's not as good a place to study as the other shilla since it's so much more busy. i like the soft spongecakes and the mousse desserts...
(4)Leon Y.
Sorry, this place is just not what it used to be anymore. Super crowded and the bing su is NOT as good as it used to be anymore. These days, I head over to Breeze. I think they have much better selections and the quality is better.
(3)Deborah H.
Delicious sweets and drinks! Better (unsurprisingly) and cheaper than stuff I can find in KTown, NYC! I would have totally loaded up had I the appetite and/or space and/or methods to bring the snacks back home. Instead I greedily helped myself to the samples generously offered throughout the store. I especially liked the cherry vanilla cake! My friends treated me to Korean shaved ice, which was super delish, albeit rather inappropriate for the weather this time of year. Fresh and canned fruits, red beans, condensed milk, mochi rice cakes... Ahh! It was worth the freezer-burn in my esophagus. The only teeny gripe is that the ice could have been fluffier.
(4)Joohee K.
Usually we head over here after Honey Pig to eat pat bing soo or bubble tea. Both of which are just mediocre if not less than. The pastries are good though, and you could just buy a bunch and hibernate in your humble abode.
(3)Andrea C.
I've never had Korean baked goods before, so I can't speak about the authenticity of the pastries, but authentic or not they are delicious. They have a bunch of free samples out (so many you can almost get full on just them!) so you can try things before you buy them if you're not familiar with Korean baked goods. They also have a pastry case with things like tiramisu (delicious!) and other very tempting and decadent looking desserts. I've also had their smoothies with boba in them and they are delicious. A lot of different varieties. Also if you have any questions they're really willing to help you. It's been ridiculously crowded every time I've gone though, and a few times I haven't been able to get a seat, so I wish they had a little bigger seating area.
(4)Tuan N.
Best Korean bakery in Nova
(5)Tommy M.
Love the patbingsoo in the summer. They make a big bowl that's perfect for sharing. Otherwise, the various sweet concoctions go great with a coffee. There are comfortable, cushioned seats here. Shilla usually has free samples for many of the baked goods.
(4)Charming P.
2nd visit here- love the cheese pound cake & pineapple cake!!! Wish they open a store in Loudoun County;)
(5)Christine P.
Try the mocha cake. To die for~~~!!! I don't think the service is that great... I go to this bakery at least once a week and do not get much smiles from anyone. Maybe Shawna got the "let's be nice to the foreigner" treatment? *^^* Watch out for the water temperature in your hot drinks. It is much hotter than your customary Starbucks coffee/tea. Try the Green Tea Latte. Sometimes a little too sweet for my taste but still yummy~!
(3)Christine T.
The boyfriend and I always come over to Shilla's for Bingsoo post pig out at Ill Mee. We always get Red bean Bingsoo with an extra scoop of green tea ice cream. The service is always nice and the bingsoo never dissapoints (whether it be summer or winter). I've tried many of the pastries and they always taste fresh, but beware if you come too late you'll miss out.
(4)Don S.
Maybe I am premature in my rating? I bought a lot of stuff - more than I should have really! Even though I lived in Korea in the 80's and 90's, I don't recall these type of fancy bakery products. I mostly stopped at road stops for my gim bap or my cabbage burgers. However, I did live in bigger cities in Japan more recently, and this bakery reminds me of Japanese bakery products. I really love it! I have driven by this location a few times before but never stopped by. I do need to go more often. They have all of my favorites from Japanese bakeries, such as Castella cakes, bean filled pastries, and more. The products are mostly somewhat fresh, perhaps not quite freshly baked daily? Some of the signs were missing off the products. Otherwise, if not for these two blemishes, I would have given 5 stars. Best feature of all, staff members are sincerely friendly! When they say "hi" or "hello", it feels like they are saying it because they want to say it, not because it's part of their script or job. It felt really nice to be approached in that manner. I'd show this place off to friends as a model showplace for American bakeries to follow!
(4)Sophia K.
Korean style ice coffee is the BOMB here! Just the right amount of sweet & cream. Go between 10 - 11 am and everything is fresh and HOT. Any style Binsoo (Korean Style Ice Shave) is perfect at Shilla! They pile high the toppings and the bowl is big enough to share amongst 3-4 people depending on how much each person eats. Not expensive and you can def. eat and chill there. Can't forget the beautiful cakes they make! Def not like your typical American cake which can be really really sweet. Must check it out! GO!
(4)Andrew H.
ahhh...a return to my childhood. coming from a population full of asians, i have been craving a good serving of boba and shaved ice and asian cakes and whatnots. and all it took was 3 years for me to make my way out to annandale to shilla's bakery. it normally takes a significant event for me to venture outside my diamond of a district, but i think my cravings for some quality asian desserts may force me into virginia a bit more often.
(4)jason k.
This place is like you are in Korea, They have all kinds of bake goods, bing soo, cakes and so many things with pretty K-girls specially weekend night. good place to hang out, but not good place to talk or enjoy cup of coffee, too busy and very loud
(5)Tan H.
This is the first time I'd ever describe boba as 'crunchy'. But they Green Tea shake I had was decent and the bakery items seem to be on par with other asian bakeries. Other goodies of note: *Red Bean shake *Shaved ice with fruit
(3)Phoebe C.
A great place to go with friends, although weekend nights can get really crowded without places to sit. It is a bit pricey for some fruit ice and icecream in the bingsoo, but at least it tastes good. Their boba is also tasty and their pastries are delishh.
(4)Kate M.
Their pat bing soo was huge and delicious and only $6.50! So much better than Koryodang in Manhattan where a small, painfully average pat bing soo (I can easily finish it on my own and look around hungry for more) costs over $10 including tax and tip. My husband and I could barely finish one. Could have used a little more mochi, but I'm not sure if a pat bing soo could ever have enough mochi for me. We also got some Korean pastries to go and were pleased with all of them. I especially recommend their tapioca breads and "rice bean" (that's what it was called, it's a chewy, dduk-like bread filled with red bean paste and chestnuts, delicious.)
(4)KeL L.
I decided to come here with my family for an evening snack. Well, We ordered hot paninis for everyone drinks, and yogurt ice cream. They gave us the drinks right away, then we sat awaiting for our sandwiches, about 15 minutes later the cashier comes up to us and tells us the grill machine is not working and that she can substitute our sandwiches for "wraps" or give us the money back. Well, so I ordered 2 wraps and a ham and cheese sandwich, and I specifically told her I just want very little mayo and swiss cheese. Another 15 mins go by, our food was ready, and my sandwich was full of mayo and no swiss cheese. That really upset me, but I didn't complain because I didn't want these people to fool around with my food behind close doors. My family was not in the mood for wraps, they were not that great either they ate only half of it. The yogurt ice cream was VERY SOUR! I won't be coming here again ..for sandwiches... maybe just to buy a pastry or sweet bread...but won't eat there. Poor customer service.. I told my family this was a good place but they were dissapointed.
(2)Jill H.
After ordering a strawberry & honeydew bubble tea, or bobba tea as they call, it wasn't surprising that the place was packed on a cool breezy spring Saturday evening. Typically, I hate bubble tea, but my friend ordered the honeydew one and it looked so good, I had to try it. It was amazing!!! The flavor was dead on, the consistency was that of a milk shake, and the tapicoa beads were tasty. It did cost $4.20, but it was certainly worth it. I don't think that is more expensive than any other place anyway. I will be going back!
(5)Marlene S.
MMM...bingsoo and bubble tea. They def. have pretty good bingsoo. Their bubble teas are a little pricey. Love their bakery items though, but I might be a bit bias since I love carbs. My bf got my mom this bread that had little black sesame seeds in it, it was sure yummy and more on the savory side. I have also tried their red bean mochi that is pretty good.
(4)Sera C.
This place is always packed. The baked goods/pastries are fresh and reasonably priced. Bingsoo is great to share (ask for extra mochi). I would go down the street to the Paris bakery for cakes though.
(4)Rob M.
Fantastic Korean bakery in Annandale. I'm a huge fan of the cream buns, the bubble tea, and of course, the samples! My girlfriend even got my birthday cake from here last year. I wish every day was my birthday!
(5)Shine S.
Great desserts! Not too sweet and looks very nice. Baked goods, flavored ice, etc. it's all good. No complaints and I highly recommend!
(5)Helene K.
Korean bakery packed full of all kinds of Asian sweets, i.e., castella, creme rolls, cookies, breads, etc. They also have boba here, although it's only served frozen (unlike the boba I have found in SF...). However, it's a pretty nice cafe/bakery. Good for hanging out with your friends after karaoke. =)
(3)Sam R.
Yes, if you're Korean you probably already know about this place -- and most likely your mom knows someone's sister/uncle/daughter of a son's 3rd cousin who knows the owner. Not that it ever will get you a hook up at this place because of it! Anyway, this is the go to bakery for the Korean community in VA. The breads usually aren't overly sweet ... and the butter cream fillings can take some getting used to (tastes more like cream then icing). The vegetable filled turnovers are pretty tasty, and from what I can tell vegetarian. Slightly greasy, yes, but good. The bean filled pastries are OK, but I'm not a big bean fan. Cakes are usually tasty as well ... God knows I've eaten enough of them over the years!
(5)Cara B.
Deeee-lish. I love their patbingsoo, and they have a great selection of pastries/cakes. This is my go-to place when I'm either too full to eat (I always have room for bingsoo) or it's too hot to eat (again, bingsoo ftw).
(4)caroline k.
Love this place. First came here when my friend's jaw dropped when he found out I'd never had Bubble Tea before and thought Shilla was the best place to get my bubble on. I had the car, he had the funds, and off to Korea we went, I meant Annandale, maybe... Anyways, Shilla is a cute little bakery, with delicous lil samples. Bought a few different cookies and breads, a bit overpriced, but what isn't in NoVa anymore? Their Bubble Tea, should be called Bubble smoothie, still great nonetheless, but gives you a better idea of what it is. The Bubble Tea at A & J's is more like what I would imagine "Bubble Tea" to be. I was fascinated by the oversized straws, I guess that was when my ADHD was kickin in.. So, overall I rate this place YUM.
(4)kei c.
Their breads taste similar to other Korean-Euro-style bakeries in the area; generally good. I got a honey-dew bobba and it tasted great. I don't recommend the mousse desserts. They tend to taste overly sweet. The bingsoo's are great and they have a fun variety. I can't really say that this has any advantage over any others, but there aren't any glaring weaknesses, too. ETA: Editing this rating (down 2 stars) for the lax service in recent months. It used to be that you'd enter and some nice ladies would welcome you. Now, you have to stare them down to get them to acknowledge your presence. Maybe all the nice workers went back to school? In any case, are they using cheaper bread for the panini's, too? *sigh*
(2)Mariah S.
The very first thing my eyes went towards as soon as I entered the place was a couple of sampler plates of freshly baked cakes and muffins, and OMFG, so oishi (delicious in Japanese) and moist like their pineapple, chocolate, and cheese cakes. I also tried their castilla cake and instantly fell deep in love with this place. sorry to my favorite chinese bakery in rowland heights, ca, but you have been officially dumped. The fluffiness and delicateness of cake with the very light cream filling was more than I could handle so I purchased it right away. In fact, the day I went here, I had just finished stuffing my face at IlMee next door. It was like 94 degrees outside, and I still had some shopping to do. So I didn't dare leave my precious cake in the car, and brought it in the stores with me, placing it carefully in my shopping cart (which I did not leave unattended at any time). Anyways, this review is about Shilla. The bakery is quaint, well organized (there are straw baskets you pick up to place your items), and plenty of seating should you wish to nosh there. There were so many items to choose from, and the quality and appearance of the products reminded me of bakeries when I used to live in the Far East. Just look at the pictures posted, and they speak volumes. Oh, I also ordered a cup of a regular coffee which needless to say left me sighing because, they did right there too. Steaming, hot, and flavorful, a perfect brew. Next visit, you'll find me in the corner hunkered over a cup of coffee in one hand, a newspaper in the other, and a plate of either their savory pumpkin nut muffin or a soft, sugary donut twist. That would be an ideal way to begin my Saturday morning.
(5)Viet D.
Butter Bread, Butter Bread...oh how I love my Butter Bread. I get one thing only everytime I come...ok two things...the Butter Bread and the Castenella (sp?) cupcakes...yummy in my tummy! The Butter Bread is a loaf of buttery soft bread that has a smooth, creamy butter creme slathered inside...it sounds like a heart attack, but it is so good. The other thing I get is the cupcakes that come with no frosting, are very spongy and come in a pack of 6. I haven't tried anything else there because I am not a fan of bread stuffed with beans or bread with nuts on top...but it is a clean place and always packed with Koreans. Go where the Koreans go...you will find good food.
(4)Christina C.
I think I was on a sugar rush, and since this was my first Korean bakery visit in Annandale, the presentation of all sugary goodness/various breaded, dessert fluffiness were all very inviting. So I randomly ended up consuming a small yogurt with kiwi pieces, and took home a small chocolate mousse with blueberries... a bit pricey, but the chocolate mousse presentation was cute -I wouldn't buy it again though. I'll come back and try their different types of breads and bing soo. It's a great place to come and hangout with friends, have a cup of coffee, munch on some baked goods with great conversations =)
(4)Helen H.
This bakery harkens me back to my elementary school days trolling Korean supermarkets in CA for baked goods with my family. I love love love the sweet (but not too sweet) breads and the desserts look amazing. The boba teas are good, too (tried the green tea and the cappuccino (a little too sweet for my taste)). I went on a Sunday afternoon and it was packed. If I had a car, I'd be there at least once a week. If only it were easier to get there.
(4)Sarah S.
Several enjoyable return trips to Shilla -- along with the abundant free samples available during my last visit -- prompted me to update this review. Try the cinnamon buns, miniature red bean cakes, and almond sable cookies. Everything tastes as if it had been baked just hours earlier, and most of the pastries seem to use only basic, natural ingredients. Better still, the variety of goods on offer seems to change daily, making me excited to walk in the door and see what's new.
(4)Tammy L.
I prefer this place when it's not so busy and you don't have to be a shark on the hunt for a table. When it's busy, it gets pretty loud and I don't feel like staying for long. Bing-soo: too much for me to handle, but it's good. They don't skimp on the condensed milk, which is my favorite part. Definitely share this with someone. Reasonably priced. Parfait: tasty, but a little too filling. I don't know how someone could eat an entire cup of that (though I think there is a picture of me floating around somewhere with a mostly finished parfait and an "I'm so full" face). I don't remember how much this costs. Cakes/sweets: not too sweet (good), but I don't find them that memorable (not good). I think you could do just as well getting one of those dirt cheap coffee-cake-roll-things at Kam Sam, Maria's, Stella, or some other Asian bakery. It won't be as pretty, but you won't be paying some ridiculous price for whipped cream ribbons, an old strawberry sliced into a fan, and a doily that actually costs $0.05. Bun things: Same as other places I've tried. The one I had was fresh, so no complaints here. Frozen Yogurt: Yay! It's Pinkberry style! They skimped on my raspberries... oh well. I care not because I've been craving Pinkberry. $2.65 or something like that for a small that is more like a medium, includes 1 topping. Double yay! This place is open late, which is really nice. I was even there on a Sunday some time around 10.
(3)Adam Y.
IDK what it is about this place but everything is good there. Their coffee is literally the best coffee i have ever had. I'm a big fan of their white mocha. It's 4/5 dollar coffee but worth it. The one main draw for this place is the red bean ice (sorry my konglish is pretty bad.... they have a lot of different combinations of this ice treat. they have fruit, ice cream, and pretty much everything in between. It's a very generous portion and can be shared with 4 to 5 people. i suggest going to ilmee and then finishing the night with some shilla :D if you haven't been here yet... i suggest you go soon :D
(4)Patrick S.
Here's a good rule: if I've ordered something twenty times and you botch making it, don't tell keep telling me that's how it is supposed to be. Marginally clean bathrooms, tight parking, great bing soo, decent pastry. Staff is adequate but if there is an issue with the order (like them forgetting to cook your sandwich) they can be remarkably unfriendly. Stopped going here for me Korean bakery needs after discovering other friendlier places. Also, no outlets for your laptop. Don't ask. They get mad.
(2)Chris M.
For the Haiku fans: Strawberry Bing Soo The things you did to my tongue Let's do it again
(4)christine c.
Poor customer service--unless you are Korean, then you'll be treated with respect. Dry baked goods unless you come in a few hours after they open.
(1)A. C.
Totally disappointed, period. They might have tons of samples to try, but their customer service is just terrible, horrible, and the worst. They are usually so-so but I went there around 10:30pm. First I heard a female employee complaining (it was kind of loud) in Korean saying "I just want to close the store right now." Okay, I understand that employees get tired because it's getting late, but please please do not blame on customers!!! I knew how much I had in my gift card, but the disgruntled casher made a mistake - she forgot to charge sale tax when she swiped my gift card. Instead, she yelled at me that my gift card didn't have enough money in it. Well, everyone was looking at us as soon as she yelled at me. She seemed to be pretty upset and I told her I did have enough money in my gift card. She responded "really?" and didn't any anything anymore. Luckily I was there with my parents and they paid the rest in cash (I didn't have cash so I told her to charge more on my credit card then she said I have to buy more to swipe as the leftover amount was less than their minimum for credit card transaction). So I received my bubble tea and I was disappointed again. As soon as I grabbed it, it started leaking and I ruined my left sleeve. I realized they used a broken plastic top. I quickly wiped the cup with napkins and I told the employees that the bubble tea plastic lid was broken. When they saw the bubble tea dripping out of the cup, one employee simply changed the top, then gave it to me. the cup was still sticky and the bubble tea juice was dripping. They said nothing about what happened to me. Not even a word "sorry." My father got pretty angry at the employees after seeing what happened to me. He said something about their bad customer service and the employees pretty much ignored him. I used to work in a similar restaurant before, and I would get fired if I did this to my customers. I would never do what they did to me even if I was dead tired. Do NOT go there when it's getting late (or crowded). I'm warning you.
(1)Jae K.
Went for a boba tea with a friend. It was alright, a bit on the pricier end, maybe it's cuz I'm used to having it from LA area.
(3)Kelvin F.
Asian? Trying to be Asian? Shilla is a good start and the perfect place to grab a post-Korean BBQ dessert. The Asian style shaved ice is delicious and comes with your choice of toppings such as condensed milk, red/green bean, mochi, ice cream, and a variety of others. The cakes and bread are fantastic but a bit pricey. Steer clear of the bubble tea though unless you're into the slush type. It also gets quite crowded on weekend nights so expect a wait if you're trying to sit down and chill.
(4)Ina C.
I was a little disappointed with the bingsoo here. When I order a strawberry bingsoo at the Shilla in Rockville, I'm given a humaaangous bowl with all kinds of goodies like Fruit Loops, dduk (rice cakes) and even other kinds of complementing fruit. I don't even remember some of the crazy and awesome things they put in. Here in Annandale, though, all I got was the standard ice cream, shaved ice, syrup and dduk. Still good, but I feel like they could step it up a bit more. Of course, I can't deny that Shilla anywhere is always a great place to come and hang out.
(4)John R.
Let me preface my review by saying I don't ordinarily like frozen yogurt or ice cream. What does that have to do with a bakery review?? Everything. I was dragged out here on a Sunday afternoon to try their frozen yogurt. And I have to say, it was pretty damn good, probably the best I've ever had. My only complaint is that the choice of flavors (toppings) was severely limited, but I enjoyed mine none the less. Basically, you choose you fruit topping and it's scooped on a heaping serving of frozen yogurt. The frozen yogurt tastes like someone put fresh yogurt in an ice cream machine and turned it into soft serve, with that refreshing tangy aftertaste. Seriously, I never crave ice cream, but I'd drive out there again right now if I could get another serving (for breakfast!). My only critique would be that they add chocolate to their list of toppings (not picky - chocolate sprinkles, chocolate syrup, snowcaps, even oreo chunks). Ok, I'm not much of a purist. I can live with the strawberries. But it is worth a trip out there. Other than that, you can check out the other reviews for the bakery items. We got quite a selection of interesting things (if you're into asian baked goods) but I can't remember the names of anything to describe them... :)
(4)Kat T.
Their bingsoo is the best in the area, and while the cakes are really expensive, are very cute and look as well as taste better than grocery store cake. I also like their frozen yogurt. You can get pretty full on free samples alone, and my favorite item on the shelves is a sweet roll that tastes like it has baked peanut butter cookie on top of it.
(4)T N.
I usually come here for the bingsoo but recently they have disappointed me a great deal. They are usually very crowded so we end up ordering to go. EVERYTIME we order to go they end up forgetting to put something in my bingsoo like the syrup or the rice cakes. I mean...it's not hard to put in the ingredients. The bingsoo is at a reasonable price, if you compare it to Ben & Jerry's icecream but the cakes like the mango mousse are a bit on the expensive side. It's like $4.50 for a piece that could fit through the crack of my teeth -_-
(2)Jane A.
The bakery is a nice atmosphere and the baked goods are a five star! I love korean bread period. But my first impression of this place was this one lady employee was so rude and had an attitude! I was like WTF and didn't buy anything because I was so upset. But otherwise the stuffs good. I gave them a try when I came the next time. Their cheese bread sucks though. I am a fan of cheese breads and theirs is one of the worse I've ever had. But other types of pastries are good and they have a great variety along with bubble tea and other drinks and red bean ice cream!
(3)N L.
Must get: Frozen yogurt (no DC "Pinkberry-wannabe" comes even close to this!!) Red bean bing soo (it's got everything your little heart could desire on a hot summer day) Taro boba (a little slice of heaven...and much better than Chinese bubble tea)
(4)Dong H.
I love thier bake goods. I would come here for their Bubble Tea and bingsoo during hot days. ICEBERRY for frozen yogurt. This store is busy during weekends and summer.
(4)Shawna G.
Mmmmm... pastries... baked goods... coffee... what more could you ask for on a lazy Sunday??? Yeah, I was the only white chic in a sea of Korean regulars and I couldn't have been more at home. The staff was VERY friendly and the green tea hit the spot! I'll be back to hit this place again... no question!
(4)Brooklyn B.
This review is mostly for the review of their Bing Soo. First of all, bing soo was hijacked from Taiwan and made a Korean thing. The real deal has jellies in it instead of the rice cakes. I don't mind the rice cakes, but I want my jellies! Bing Soo can't really be screwed up too much since it's really just shaved ice with fruit and condensed milk. Secondly, *I* think that it is just over-priced. $6.50 for a bowl. Not an outrageous price, but the first time I had shaved ice, it was about 15 years ago, sitting on a stool at an outdoor stand in Taiwan in the summer time. The ice was especially refreshing because we were all sweatin' like pigs. I usually freeze to death at Shilla's 'cause the ice is cold and the AC is running. I have to give Shilla's some credit, it's a nice establishment and a fun place to hang out with friends in the afternoon. I've never tried any of the baked goods, but they look pretty. :) I still go back to Shilla's repeatedly because I really don't know where else to get shaved ice. I just miss the original version...
(2)Deborah K.
unlike many people, i am not a coffee snob. i am, however, a bubble tea snob. and Shilla provides me with slush + too much sugar + weird colors + tapioca balls, not bubble tea. several times, whoeverimwith and i will order the same flavor bubble tea, but end up with 2 different colors in our individual cups. hmm... one star for their bubble tea, and another for their cakes. good, but nothing extraordinary about them - especially for their prices. their pastries/bread....nothing less than your typical Korean bakery...
(2)J B.
I can only tell you about their bubble tea and some of their bake goods. I haven't tried wide range of bake goods and other offerings. The bubble tea is not from a powder mix. They seem more of a ice cream shake then anything else, but they are oh so good when ytou want something cold and sweet. Out of the several flavors I've had, taro is my favorite. I only had one bad drink from them, the black perl was al dente. I believe it was probably a bad batch that day. The fruit flavors are also good, especial on a hot summer day. In the afternoon, they usually have sample of bake goods for customer to try. It's not like your typical bakery, it seem more of a pastry shop then anything else. Many of the bake good have a sweet flavor to them, but when you want fresh baked bread or oven baked pie, you might want to shop some place else. Overall, the atmosphere was pleasent, but it seem more relaxing to college students that just want to hang out and a place for the girls to hang out and gossip.
(4)mark l.
this is the best frozen yogurt i have had in the dc metro area. it is the closest thing to pinkberry that our area has. love the consistency, tart level, and it is ICE COLD, the way it should be. it is also the most expensive froyo in the are, but i think its worth it.
(4)A B.
Good pastries. Good bubble tea. Better bing soo at Le Matin right up the street. This is like the more active, "hip" korean bakery where the younger folks hang out, whereas Le Matin seems to draw the older, more professional business man type crowd. Anything at Shilla with "sweet potato" attached to the name should serve you well.
(4)Takaki K.
This small Korean bakery offers beautiful desserts. The chocolate cake I had was extremely tasty. I will wait for the summer to try the huge bowl of shaved ice that easily feeds two.
(4)Todd Y.
This is a great korean bakery. Has fresh products and a variety of sweets. Of course, it doesn't have some of the traditional Chinese bakery products. Everyting with their red bean tastes good. Their cream puffs are small and moist.
(4)angela n.
A wide selection of sweet Asian delicacies. I've been here a couple of Saturday nights with friends (as a meeting spot before they hit the karaoke lounges). Both times it was crowded with teens and twenty-somethings with a lot of energy -- must be all the sugar.
(3)Sue C.
Shilla was the 'go-to' place for me, until about a month ago when I ordered a bubble tea. When I went in for my first sip, an overwhelming stench assaulted my olfactories, and I couldn't bring myself to drink my beloved bubble tea! (Not the best tea in town to begin with, but now...) The stench was that of old rag, so I went to the counter to let the staff know about this, and they smelled the drink and insisted that it was just the normal smell of the milk that was added to the bubble tea. 3 different employees, no less, told me this, and I responded by saying that if this is the 'normal' smell of your milk, then you're using spoiled milk. Finally, after the 3rd employee took a whiff, they offered to either make a new drink for me or refund my money, and I opted for the refund, because after that awful experience, I didn't think that possibly getting a stomach ache that night was worth the bubble tea. My theory (and it's only a theory) about the stench is that an employee used a dirty rag to wipe off the excess bubble tea frozen slush off the side of the cup, and whatever was on that rag made its way onto the cup. Until the smelly bubble tea incident, I had loved Shilla, because its koroke (croquettes) were so yummy. But for now, I've decided to cool it with Shilla.
(1)Avery L.
i have never had an ice cream experience quite like this. we ordered the coffee ice cream w/corn flakes and it was out of this world. the textures w/the condensed milk, shaved ice, super creamy ice cream and the crunchy sweetness from the corn flakes?!? in HEAVEn. the pastries looked amazing but didn't get anything else just bc we were coming from the honey pig and there was NO ROOM for anything else. can't wait to try the bakery!
(5)I. P.
great bubble tea!!!!! blended ice kind...black tea is delicious. breads are good...pastries...cakes seem a bit dry. lots of tables and chairs to sit. recommend!
(3)Angelus H.
OUt of the several bakeries I have been to in the area...Shilla seems to be the best one....yes I may be critical and anal about my ratings in several of my posts but you know what...Yes, I have high expectations and standards when it comes to my food....after all....none of these items in any restaurants are that cheap these days...... The cakes are okay but compared to some Korean bakeries like Tous Le Jours and Paris Baguette...this place fell way short. The Pat bing soo is what I come back here for....I dont get the mixed fruit one because, its just fruit from the can and not that appetizing....the Strawberry Pat Bean Soo is the best over here and I have come here repeatedly ordering this...so just go with that....and enjoy.
(3)Michael E.
Fruit bing soo, Green tea bing soo., Yogurt bing soo. It is so good at Shilla. I can't get enough. Even in the winter I go and get it. The other baked items are nice and there usually plenty of samples on the side. Stay away from the americanized pastries, the other baked goodies are way better. The place is busy because its good. Other reviewers complain about the noise, the crowd, the hurried staff. Well, thats what happens when a cafe is good at what is does...lots of people go to it.
(5)Janice J.
I love shilla bakery! There cakes and pastries are so cute! I love there banana bread, that is shaped like a banana. I also love there cream cheese bread.
(5)Peggy W.
GREEN TEA BINGSOO. Just do it. I lurve lurve lurve it. Honestly, it's just ice, ice cream, mochi balls, and red bean.... but I get easily excited over simple stuff in life, so a bowl of this and I am SET, yo. Their breads all look yummy, and there are plenty of samples.... I get full off the samples, don't buy any, then regret it the next morning. But, my jeans still fit because of that so I guess that's a-o-k.
(4)Jen M.
Pros Yummy Bingsoos Tasty Illy coffees Interesting breads Friendly fast service Open late Cons Horrendous parking situation. Dirty and crowded
(3)George S.
I remember when my mother took me to a cafe in Seoul and treated me to bingsoo. I was only 6 years old then but it blew my mind! Many East Asians and Southeast Asians have their own variations and their own names for what Koreans call "patbingsu" or just "bingsoo" (or "bingsu"). The "pat" stands for beans but that's about all I know. Simply put, it is just shaved ice with condensed milk drizzled throughout (as demonstrated by Maangchi- I LOVE THIS WOMAN: maangchi.com/recipe/patb… ) and sweetened red beans along with pieces of mochi and any fruit variation on top. I prefer to keep it simple: shaved ice, condensed milk, sweetened red beans, mochi, strawberries and even a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream to complement the strawberries--this is actually considered quite minimal if you can believe it! In sum, Shilla has great bingsoo along with other types of Koreanized pastries. The Annandale location gets a bit crowded and I am usually fine with that as I always enjoy a little bit of people watching. This place doesn't remind me at all of the place my mom took me in Korea, but it's as close to Korea-town as it gets in the DC-metro area. Shilla is kinda pricey--I am not sure that I'd go there to purchase a birthday cake (I'd rather go to Lotte bakery in Germantown) every time, but it is definitely a place to go for a nice treat now and then. The Rockville location is not as crowded (and therefore cozier) but their selection is not as diverse, so you take what you can get.
(4)Marian A.
really good love da bubble
(5)H T.
First of all, they have these walnut cookies, with red bean paste in the middle, and they are SO good! They also have cream puffs that are the best that I've had in a long time! But like with any other bakery, try to get their pastries during the day because that's when their the freshest! I've gotten the walnut cookies and the cream puff at night and their just not the same. They're good, but not the same :( Just the other night I went with some friends to get the bingsoo. It's not the best I've had, but it was still good. Overall, its my favorite place in the area to go to buy some delicious pastries.
(4)Sarah T.
Decent Bakery and Cafe that I like to stop by at when I'm in the area. My friends and I will come here to hang out and catch up with each other sometimes. I've tried various breads, cookies, and pastries from here...some are better than others and others are just about the same with slight variations in texture and taste as most bakeries are. I definitely like it better than Western Bakeries probably because pastries here seem to have just the right amount of sweetness to it. I would've given this place four stars if it wasn't for the AWFUL MACARONS! They were dry and hollow and just plain nasty! I bought about 9 different flavors at once without trying them beforehand because I had confidence that it would be good...well now I know better. I've also had mixed feelings with service...those who can speak English well tend to treat you with a normal-indifferent service and those who can't (or in one case I had pretend they can't) try to not look at you, ignore you, or try not to deal with you in general.
(3)Lindasauce B.
Love the scene, atmosphere and the fro-yo with homemade mochi pieces is AMAZING! :-) Great place!
(4)Le L.
I do not like it how they have the time limit of 2 hours for customers to stay now. What if I want to stay there longer to catch up with an old friend or something. Do not have time limit or else I would prefer going to other places. The only reasons I keep coming back is their bingshoo. I would have to admit that their bingshoo is so much better than Breeze, I honestly don't know why. The services were bad when I came here last friday. The cashier just asked me "what do you want" in a rude voice. Shouldn't they be asking " Ma'am, how can I help you?"
(3)Priscilla H.
The boba doesn't get any better. Shilla's Bakery has the best strawberry boba in the Annandale/ Northern Metro Area. I personally prefer boba that tastes fruity instead of powdery. I don't know if Shilla uses real fruit in their smoothies but I must say they are DELISH and you much try if you haven't. I always go for the strawberry boba... but I heard their other flavors are good too. I probably go here once a week. I recommend their mango & strawberry mousse cakes, super moist, not too sweet, soft, and tastes really fresh. I worked at Breeze Bakery down the street for a summer, and I must say, Shilla definitely has me with their boba, bread selections, and wide selection of macaroons! I definitely recommend this place if your in the area and looking for a good asian eat!
(4)Khalid S.
Was looking for bubble tea with the homegirl, found this gem on yelp. Even though I passed by this place for years, I've never been inside until now. Packed with pastries and specialty cakes and sugary sweets. Bubble teas are all blended, which is frozen but taste really good.
(4)Matthew S.
After living in Asia the last few years I already have an addiction to their amazing bakeries(mainly Japan and Korea) after moving here and finding this place it definitely scratched that itch. Items made with precision and care that I have come to expect. The buttercream filled bread is my favorite. Not to mention all the lovely breads, pastries, and cakes.
(5)Jenny S.
Shilla is one of the more popular Korean bakeries in the area, but I really dont see what all the buzz is about... Baskets are lined throughout the shelves of the bakery and inside filled with so many treats, plenty of options for everyone. The tags now have a simple English translation of what the pastry is, which is huge since I remember years ago you just had to take a chance since you didn't know what was inside if you weren't Korean and couldn't read the tag. The Bingoo is so large, you have to share. Their cakes are so cute and colorful in the display windows, it makes you want to order a giant cake just for yourself. The bubble tea and individual sized dessert cakes and mousse are usually pretty tasty. The maroons are terrible. You can tell that they have been sitting out all day so the outside crust gets hard and since it's right next to the cold desserts, the temperature adds to their stale outside. One thing to note is that obviously Koreans know how to make everything cute and adorable, even their pastries! But just because the little sucker looks appetizing, does not mean it's so tasty. For example, I bought a pineapple pound cake, very simple description. But once you bite into it, it is simply a dry out pound cake with 3 canned pineapple slices on top; not even any actual pineapple flavoring inside the cake. It was lame.... This place is a bit overpriced and there are so many better desserts shops around to satify your sweet tooth. You'll only find me here if a friend drags me, not on my own free will though.
(2)Miss Maggie C.
Came into this super busy bakery today. They had a lot of samples, but none really impressed my taste buds so I didn't end up getting any. All their cakes on display looked so cute and delicious though. I was so excited to see they had macarons, and that they were cheap! $1.25 per macaron. I got the passion fruit, the pistachio, and two other flavors that now escape my mind. These macarons were cheap for a reason, they were pretty terrible. The flavor was bland, so much that I couldn't tell what flavors they were. They were crumbly, with too much cookie and too little filling. If I were to stop by here again, I'd try the desserts or the shaved ice. The prices here are pretty steep, $5 for a boba drink.
(2)Nasir A.
I would have given this place 5 stars but the attitude of the staff was so poor that I took away one star. They have plenty of samples to try. Food looks and taste great.
(4)Ali B.
Good bakery, variety of goodies with meat, cheese, vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, sweets, sour, good for breakfast, snacks, chill place to hangout, always busy. Prices are more reasonable than the other bakeries around the area and more variations. Only disadvantage is the noise level, I came early at 9:00 to read on a weekday morning it louder than expected. Still love this place, don't miss out their cold beverages and expression, they're all 4 stars
(4)Hai H.
Came here with my wife to get frozen yogurt and just 10 minutes before closing, they said they were closed. For crying out loud, if you guys need to close early then turn off the closing sign so people would know. It's not hard to serve a frozen yogurt that takes only one minute. I feel sorry for the owner who hired these idiots who are not improving the business. Well... Breeze bakery would be my next stop.
(1)Kimmy L.
Not to be a traitor to my people, but I love Korean bubble tea way more than Vietnamese bubble tea. I swear there is a difference in taste. The Korean version are slightly bigger and more tart, whereas the Vietnamese version tastes bland to me and tend to stick together more. This place has SOOOOO many different flavors to choose from! From coffee/tea based to fruit based I am never disappointed! So far I have tried their Peach, Strawberry, Mango & Chai bubble teas and they have all been wonderful. I do wish that the lids were put on using the plastic machines that Vietnamese establishments use but other than that, this is my go to when I am craving a frozen drink. My cousin bought me a birthday cake from here last year and it was really good - light, chocolatey, and moist! I think this place is a little pricey for their bubble teas though, at $5 a pop, I pay $4 in dupont and between $3-4 in Eden center.
(4)Helen Z.
Good bingsoo in a variety of flavors, the Asian style breads are always yummy and plentiful. I like the red bean bread that they make. They also have a great variety of cakes and drinks, including bubble tea, if you are into bubble teas. I'm giving it four stars and not five, because of its sitting area, which could be made more stylish and comfortable, and the high level of noise in there every time I go.
(4)Heidi L.
I used to go there once in a while but once I visited there most recently, I realized that their light and layout of the bakery goods looked not so tempting at all. The atmosphere changed and nowadays I see more non-Koreans than Koreans. However there is something that never changed; this place is never quiet
(3)Khoi U.
If you lived in Northern Virginia or visiting, I would highly suggest that you visit this place in Annandale. This place serves a variety of pastries and asian drinks that you can name of. Their food and drink is good a bit pricey though but I dont mind I would recommend this place if your taking a girl out Overall its a good place to chill I guess....
(5)JunJow C.
Overall great little bakery. They are normally generous with samples. If you love baked goods that aren't too sweet, this is the place to go. Cakes are a little overpriced though.
(4)Ian F.
When rating the bakeries in Annandale, I would say there are a few criteria: 1. Baked Goods 2. Drinks 3. Good hangout spot? Personally, I think the baked goods here are great. Try the most basic of basic Shu Cream pastry. Its simple, and very good. I am also able to get my favorite drink of all time here. Their Black Milk Tea Smoothie is amazing. The only knock I have on Shilla is that it is not the best hangout spot as its a bit smaller than the other bakeries, and does not have as much seating.
(4)C S.
Love the boboa tea and bing soo! Many different flavors to choose from. My husband hilariously compared his pineapple boboa to a rock creek soda and the comparison is dead on! Make sure you eat your Bing soo there if you have the time other wise you won't even get half of what you're paying for in the container to go.
(5)Eugene K.
Their fresh korean baked goods are delicious. Go there. Salad was fresh and their ginger sesame dressing went with the freshness very well. Customer service was excellent. Other reviewers may cite fluency problems but they more than make up for it with efficiency and deliciousness.
(5)Dean R.
Great bakery and coffee shop and sandwich shop - the baked goods are spot on - reasonably priced and fresh - the coffee is great fresh brewed and hot - the lunch sandwiches are spot on and you should not miss - if you are in Annandale (also known as Ktown) stop in and enjoy - they also have free wifi
(5)Sunny H.
Absolutely love the almond cream filled pastry here.. I a fat girl at heart so love anything carb. LOL. You cant go wrong with any of the pastries including the bing soo. So delish!!! They have a sitting area which in my opinion is perfect for a quick get together with an old friend or to have coffee after dinner at any one of the near by korean restaurants. I'm giving it three stars because the layout of the place. Its always filled with people (no matter what time of day) which makes it hard to manuver around to select your pastries. There is also no formal "line starts here" set up so people just stand wherever which is a bit annoying.
(3)Cuong T.
+: -Their pastries are delicious -Their Bingsoo is tastes pretty good (variety of ingredients) -Free samples galore -: -Their Bingsoo isn't proportional (too much ice, almost zero mochi pieces (rice cakes), more ice than actual flavorful ingredients) -The
(3)Nikki R.
Zero stars. Come here if you're desperate for poor customer service and to waste your time.
(1)Tinovia U.
A colleague just returned from this spot with a chocolate croissant, especially for me and I declined upon her first offer, but finally accepted it upon her insistence. BABY!!!! It was melt in my mouth delicious! I was overcome with a sense of guilt and shame for enjoying something that most only view as a dessert. From a baker, about a bakery---this place is a must try. I promise that you'll be glad you did!
(4)Heather G.
I have worked in this area for the last year and all of a sudden this gem became visible to me. Shilla Bakery is a bread lover's heaven. They offer a sample of almost everything they bake. If you are balling on a budget, you could easily get full just by walking around the storefront. However, even if funds are tight, the prices are very decent. Please, please don't be NASTY and sample the pieces with your fingers. Toothpicks are located throughout the area, so there is never a reason to be unsanitary. Seriously. Back to the goods, the selection is plentiful and the bread is really good. From donuts to pizza, if it is considered bread then they have something for you. In addition to baked goods, you can order yogurt, shaved ice, coffee, or tea. Parking is plentiful as it is located in a shopping center, next to Popeye's. Shilla has a constant flow of patrons which to me is a good sign considering we now live in a low-carb world.
(4)Haeyon L.
Shilla bakery is a cute little building surrounded by a larger complex around it. We went there right after a late dinner, hoping to buy a ton of awesome pastries, but we were met with empty trays on all the counters except for a few. The only thing that looked decent (and from the sample, tasted pretty good too), was the sweet potato bread loaf. I thought I would spent at least 20$ on pastries but sadly, that was the only purchase I made. When we were leaving, I saw a bunch of people have the bingsoo and it looked AMAZING. I am so sad that I didn't get it while I was there
(3)Donald P.
Still good, but with all the other alternatives out there, Shilla just seems pretty average now. They still have lots to sample, so you can find exactly what you want, but so does lots of other places.
(3)Cara C.
You can go here for hot food too! What's that? This is a dessert place, you say?! Well, clearly, you've never tried the justly celebrated jalapeno bread! It's chewy and has a pleasant sweetness to it, while the half-moon slices of jalapeno dotting this lovely loaf set off little bonfires all over your mouth. For someone with a sweet AND hot tooth, this is perfect! Not sure what to get the kids? Try the strawberry cream-filled bun (a hit with my little cousins... if you can get the adults to keep their hands off them). Or try the pistachio macarons for the adults -- they're the best of all the macarons. fyi, there's a $10 credit card minimum, and if you spend a little, they will often throw in a freebie bread of the day. ps, the Thai iced tea with boba is so so good.
(4)V L.
First of all, the customer service is terrible. The employees are RUDE! I have been here about a dozen times and EVERY time, the Korean staff is just so rude! The only staff member who actually smiled was the Hispanic lady who brought out our Bing Soo and Boba from the kitchen. Maybe they should bring her out front and shove the rude staff into the kitchen! Is it a Korean cultural thing to treat your customers like they're bothering you?! Their sweets are very tasty and there are many samples around the little store. Too bad, the staff's abysmal attitude outweigh their delicious products! I dont love the sweets there that much to visit this place that often. There are other Korean bakeries to check out.
(2)James M.
Really good korean pastries! The melon bread is the best I've had out of all the bakeries I've been to.
(4)John S.
The parking is kind of tight in front of the store but if you park around the side the parking is much better. As for the food, I think its pretty good. They have a variety of bread, cakes, ice shavings, and others that pretty much guarantees you are going to find something you would like. The store is clean and is a great place to eat and relax in. I take off one star because of their dine in policy which states you can only stay for a maximum of 2 hours. While I have never stayed for 2 hours and most likely wont, I like to have the option to be able to do so.
(4)Mirela T.
This place never disappoints. I've been here several times and have always enjoyed my experience. The place is always buzzing with people. That must mean this place is the bomb! Last night tried their Thai Tea Latte for the first time, it was very good. It's very similar to Thai Iced Tea, but HOT. I enjoyed it. Also, the Shilla Pound Cake and that was delicious as well, it went great with the tea. Overall i enjoyed my time at Shilla with friends chatting away. The atmosphere allows that and i'd recommend this place to all who have a sweet tooth. :)
(4)Nadia A.
I wasn't impressed with this place. I got a peppermint mocha which was good. But the place is small and it gets crowded fast. The cashier wasn't that friendly and couldn't give me details when I asked questions regarding the menu.
(3)Cristopolis D.
*** Vegeterian Review *** I came in for a light brunch with my wife and 3 month old. The ambience is wonderful and there is a mom and pop shop feel to the place. The pastries and breads look fabulous and there is a nice assortment of sandwiches and paninis on the menu. I ordered the Veggie Panini and it was incredible! It tasted really fresh! It included roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, avocado, zucchini and a tangy dressing. The coffee is good too. Definitely coming back soon!
(4)Kuen L.
Oh Shilla, how many times have I been here.. It's gotten over crowded and hard to find seats especially if you come in a big group. I've had their cakes a while back and never like them. Presentation is nice but I could only eat one bite. I always get bingsoos when I come here, love the strawberry and the greentea bingsoos. Customer service is usually not that great here.
(3)W W.
It's the best Korean bakery in the DMV area. Of course, L.A. has it better, but that's an unfair comparison.
(4)Eric N.
So what happens when you're not in NYC's Chinatowns in Manhattan or Queens and Eden Center in Falls Church seems to lack some things? You come to Annandale for Shilla! Sure its Korean but eh close enough. I've been here on and off for years, but have been twice in the past week rediscovering my sweet tooth. The Chinese Date tea here is delicious, not too sweet and has pieces of date in it. The baked goods are also delicious, especially the cream filled ones, which also won't set you back much at all. Get the pizza breads here too! They also have lots of free samples here, usually fresh right when they finish baking them. Get at them fast though otherwise they run out!
(5)Jeanine N.
I would give them 4.5 stars. The baking goods are consistently delicious, soft, fresh, and not too sweet. I also love the frozen yogurt and green tea bingsoo. However, when this place is packed, they seem like neglect the customer services. Otherwise, it's my favorite place in town. If you come when they just bring out the pastries or cake, you will have a lot of samples.
(5)Brian M.
I have been coming to this place for years. I am sure there are other options and some are probably better. However, this is where I have come and probably always will. Their yogur is average and their coffee is ok. The Illy coffee is usually a great cup but they use k-cups so if you get a small its really strong and if you get a large it is slightly weak. So the trick is just order medium (even if you just wanted a small amount). For me its the bread or the bingsoo (my wife's favorite). I love their custard filled bread and a nice hot cup of tea. I usually end up getting a few extra pieces of different desert bread for the trip home. The bingsoo (shaved ice) is something my wife orders everytime and its enough to share with multiple people. The bread here is good and worth a stop in for!
(4)Duane D.
Driving around the Northern Virginia area if you ever have a chance to stop in to this part of the Annandale area you'll notice the diversity in cuisine options from Spanish, to Italian, and Korean restaurants and markets around this strip of road known as Little River Turnpike. Toward the end of it you'll find Shilla Bakery located in a small shopping center. I went here with my girl and my cousin on this initial visit. This became a destination to check out after a friend requested they had some great pastries and awesome Bing Soo. Pastries you may be familiar with but Bing Soo? More on that later. Upon arriving at the bakery the first thing I noticed was how packed the bakery was with people. Obviously a good sign of satisfied customers and looking directly to my left and right I could see why. Various pastries abound all filled with various sweet and savory combinations. Shilla states on their website they offer a fusion of Korean and French pastries and they were all around the area. From sponge cakes, cookies, macarons, custom character cakes in the shape of cute animals like lambs and pigs, to giant Palmiers and cookies, to even a pastry known as "Mammoth" this bakery has a good variety of fresh pastries and samples of many of them to try before buying. Needless to say we picked up a variety of items including the biggest Palmier I had ever seen and a "Mammoth" which is a bread pastry filled with a layer of butter-cream and chocolate. My girl and I were both given a free pastry with our purchase which was their new items, melon bread. Upon consuming them at home we found they weren't as sweet as we thought they would be but still pleasant nonetheless. We also ordered Bing Soo at the bakery. They offer about over 10 different varieties of a dessert that can best be described as a big bowl of ice cream, shaved ice, and various fix-ins depending on your choice of flavor. I got the Coffee Bing Soo which is made of Coffee Ice Cream, Coffee Syrup, Corn Flakes, Rice Cake (Mochi), and Shaved Ice. The combination of flavors was awesome to say the least. I would've never put together corn flakes and coffee but the crunch from the flakes made the dessert even better. My girl had the Caramel Bing Soo which had Caramel Ice Cream, Shaved Ice, Caramel Syrup, Mini Cream Puffs, Mochi, and Snickers. Both were winners. If you're not in the mood for sweets they also serve sandwiches, coffee (illy brand), and various bubble (boba) teas. The visit to Shilla was a delicious one and one that made a good impression to make a return visit to anyone of their locations in the Northern Virginia or Maryland areas. I definitely will try their boba tea to see if it rivals the ones out west in Cali. So far I've yet to find any here on the East Coast that have come close. One thing is for certain you don't have to fear breaking bread at this place!
(3)Karisa D.
***** 3 1/2 Stars**** I've been going to Shila Bakery with my family for years. They seem to be popping up all over the area but this location will always have a soft spot as "my original Shilla" hehe. If you don't know, Shila is a Korean Bakery. They offer a variety of pastries, cakes, coffees, teas, and other treats. I like their pastries, particularly their Red bean and their custard pastries. They're mostly individually wrapped so you can eat the pastry all at once, or wrap it up and save it for later. Inexpensive too. Good all around.
(3)Lavender L.
Ohhh...a yummy find! Love the samples b/c otherwise would likely never try the array of flavors and not disappointed about what u shouldn't have gotten. Can not say it was all to my tasting, but I did find a few nice things..enough to go back for sure! They don't bug u if u want to just sit and chat for a long time. The fresh goodies just kept flowing in..a popular cafe for sure!
(3)D L.
I had as bad an experience as one could get at this bakery recently . I went in with my fiance at around 9pm on a Tuesday evening. There were about 5-6 customers, and may be 5-6 employees, about 3 in front, the rest in the back. I bought some cakes and order a blueberry bingsoo. Although the place was practically deserted and there were plenty of employees just standing around, the purchase transaction took quite some times because the employees just hang around talking to each other! 20-30 minutes later, my bindsoo came out. the slowness is quite noticeable, given that I used to get it within 5-7 min even when the place crowded. Worse, after we ate through the first layer of ice, we found a roll up paper napkin inside the ice cream! God knows where that napkin came from! When we brought it to the attention of the cashier, all we got is a surly attitude and "Sorry." He brought out another replacement bingsoo and and that's about it! I used to go to this place a lot because it has interested Bingso ice cream favor. I introduced lots of out-of-town friends to the place as a good place to have coffee, cake or ice cream. But this awful customer service experience which ruined a good day for me and my fiance that we was looking forward to definitely won't make me come back. Shilla has gone downhill. I don't think management cares. What a shame!
(1)Sarah P.
So happy that they had almond cream cakes! I bought a bag of the mini ones and ate them all within 24 hours they were so good. This place is a smallish bakery but just like the ones in Korea that I remember well. I only tried the baked goods and they were great but they also have bing soo and bubble teas here as well as some lunch foods (sandwiches etc.) Parking can be pretty bad depending on the time of day, the lot out front is pretty tight!
(4)Imani G.
I was searching for red bean pastries for Chinese New Year. Thank you Baby Jesus for this bakery! I am new to the area, so I am constantly searching go my "go-to" stores. The sweet red bean bread reminds me of the bread I was "slightly...who am I kidding, more like completely" addicted to when I was in Japan. The light slightly sweetened bread filled with thick jam-like sweet red bean paste...AMAZING! I was worried that the paste would taste more flavored raw sugar than a wonderfully blended concoction. Can you tell of really liked the bread. I was told to go back for the curry bread. GAME ON!!
(4)Bryce A.
While driving to Lighthouse Tofu, a friend pointed out Shilla Bakery and mentioned it was good, so we stopped by after to give it a try. They have a fairly large selection of baked goods, plus bubble tea and bingsoo (think shave ice, with tons of toppings). There were a whole lot of samples to try, so we were able to taste things before deciding whether or not to buy them. There were a ton of people inside, but we were able to find a table to sit down and eat at. I ordered a bingsoo, and got some baked goods to eat later. The bingsoo was pretty good. I got the fruit one, and it came with ice, a whole lot of fruit, mochi and condensed milk. It was a good combination of ingredients, but I'm not sure if that particular one was worth $6.50. If you are looking for something more dessert-y, I think a lot of the other ones (besides the fruit one) come with ice cream/more sweets and may be a better choice if you want something a little less light. The baked goods were great, and very reasonably priced. I was impressed by the anpan. It is fairly large, the bread was chewy, and it had a great distribution of azuki bean paste inside. I also got a small loaf of bread with walnuts and a red bean paste baked inside of it. It seemed slightly drier, but I ate it 2 days later so I'm not docking any points for that.
(4)Andre S.
This location carry more variety of item compare than other Shilla bakery. Nice choices!
(5)Charles H.
Stopped by on a Saturday night and noticed it was like a zoo inside! By the time I received my Strawberry mousse cake most of the tables were filled except by the restroom. I noticed one family organized five tables for their group and make an "L" shape pattern. Other than the lack of tables, the food and customer service was good.
(3)Phoebe C.
Shilla Bakery is this Korean bakery in Virginia. It has baked goods, tea and shaved ice, and a comfy seating area. As far as baked goods, I got the green tea cream cheese bread, jalapeno bread, tomato/basil/pesto pizza, and ham/egg bagel sandwich. My favorites were the jalapeno bread and the tomato/basil/pesto pizza. They were very savory and served as a great snack and/or breakfast item. The ham/egg bagel was good for breakfast too, but a bit on the dry side. As far as tea and shaved ice, I've tried the green tea boba here twice. Both times, it didn't disappoint. I love green tea smoothies, so they could do no wrong. We also got the green tea ice cream + shaved ice bowl, which was more than enough shared between 5 people. It included green tea ice cream, shaved ice, red bean, and mochi. The green tea ice cream was the best part. Thing is you have to devour is ravenously to prevent it from melting and consequently, going to waste. Still good though. It's nice that it's air conditioned and you can seat yourself. Saves you from the humidity and scorching east coast temperatures. Your buzzer will buzz when your order is ready. When you're done eating and chatting, just clean up after yourself, and you're all good. Yum!
(4)Erin E.
I was first introduced to Shilla by a friend and it's a pretty cute cafe/bakery. I haven't had a bad experience yet. I usually go around 1 or 2 in the afternoon and its never extremely crowded but there are definitely patrons browsing or having lunch. Their baked goods and breads: very good. Great price as well. You can get buns, bagels, assorted pastries, sweet and savory, generally pretty cheap. The butter cream and strawberry cream buns are delicious. I believe they are a little over a dollar. They also have this flat-bread pizza that is yummy too, veggie, bulgogi, margarita, all very good. Dont forget to try the Jalapeno bread too! Another Bonus: FREE SAMPLES! Who doesn't Love free samples?? Cakes are a bit pricey, very good, but you'll spend a pretty penny depending on the size. Cake pops are good, Boba tea was good, I had strawberry. I've heard that their sandwiches and pasta's are good as well. Staff is friendly for the most part. Every now and then you'll get a younger kid that not the happiest to be there but otherwise, its a pleasant experience :)
(4)Truong H.
Everyone love shilla! I go for the butter cream pastries which are very light and airy, and i also go for the bingsoo. Service is ok, you deal with old korean ladies meaning not friendly. Parking is super tight so you will be lucky to find a spot in front. And this place gets super crowded.
(3)Liz C.
Every time I visit, this place seems to get better and better. It's a little cleaner a little more organized and a little more helpful. Plus their pastries are yummy and affordable.
(5)Lissa B.
We always like coming here on the way to do purikura in Lil'thingamajigs that is in the same center. They often have free samples of all the different breads and snacks that they sell. It's probably the best and most authentic bingsoo in the area since they have the green tea with red bean bingsoo. There is still room for improvement though and it is pricey.
(4)Colin C.
I thought the reviews here would be much higher. Been coming here for years and it is amazing. Maybe we are all spoiled with the Korean bakeries in the area but this is the best one by far. Bing soo is far better than cafe breeze and all the others. Tons of flavors, they have the fruity ones, the Asian ones with red bean and green tea and lots of mochi, plus American flavors with chocolate and other toppings. The bakery always has tons of interesting options with samples as well as cool looking cakes. Everyone is always impressed and not too expensive compared to places like cake love. The best part of the cakes is not feeling like you have diabetes afterwards because of the lighter frosting and filling.
(5)Susan J.
As always it's super crowded. Love the ample free samples. Small 6" fruit cake for $21. The largest 10"? is $38. It's pricey but my Asian parents love them!
(4)Na L.
Love the free samples they have available. Good spot to hang with friends over good pastries and coffee!
(4)David H.
If you liked baked goods (and really who doesn't) this place is a must try. They have a huge variety of items and have free samples of many items so you can try before you buy. The pineapple upside down cake and shu cream pastries were both amazing. They also have a variety of coffee, tea, and lunch/meal items. There is a large seating area where you can relax or you can get it to go.
(4)Christine O.
Korean bakeries in Annandale = free samples!! Shilla is notorious for having a ton of samples as they probably have the largest bakery selection around. They have savory and sweet pastries, cakes, macaroons, bingsoo, frozen yogurt... just like a french bakery would. You can take some home or eat there on the spot. + the folks working here are very nice + variety of free samples + mango bread is off the chart + bingsoo and froyo portions are huge + mousse cake is delicious - often crowded = no spot to sit - have to ask for more toppings on froyo since it's very small and if you want more, you'll have to pay 50c more per topping - TRANS FAT in some of their buns (red bean and green bean buns) as noted on their list of ingredients... some don't even have a list so you won't be able to tell what was used. This is a buzz kill ... thought it was freshly made! There are a probably of other bakeries that use trans-fat in their food to keep the shelf life of food longer, but that just proves it's not as 'fresh' as you might think it is.
(3)Kimberly K.
Baked Goods- A (Love the free samples) Pat Bing Soo (Shaved Ice)- B+ The ice is more crunchy than smooth and fluffy. Still glad they offer it! It's usually packed in here. Cashiers are quick. Seating is available.
(4)Andrew Y.
Looking for an "Asian" style bakery in the area, this was what came up on the yelp search in the area. Looks can be deceiving. This bakery is lacking very much so in the variety of options they offer. Hugely disappointed that they didn't even have egg tarts. Their selection of visually delightful Asian pastries had a variety of shapes and sizes, however there seemed to be more salty (generally garlic + cheese) flavored/toppings, opposed to lightly sweetened bread. I ended up very dissapointed with their selection and walked out with some almond cookies because i was hungry and haven't had a good almond cookie in a while... I give this place a solid two stars -- "Meh. I've experienced better." Much better. I should note that this place seems to have a lot of bubble tea type drinks, with a variety of colors or flavors, however this review does not include those items. =D Have a wonderful day!
(2)Folasade A.
Nice variety of different baked goods with unique Korean flavors. Wish there was one where I lived. On a side note, the staff could be a little bit more attentive and friendly (and smile and not brush me off as soon as I take my receipt)
(3)Diana D.
Shilla's specialty lies within their pastry masterpieces, can't complain about the tasty boba and perfectly sweetened black milk tea either. they have awesome sweet treats (flavored bread, cream-filled puffs & rolls), a bunch of savory ones (kimchee & bulgogi pizza & curry chicken buns). depending on what time you get there, the place can be super ridiculously crowded... or empty. this also is in congruence with the availability of free samples. my only suggestion is that they add spicy crispy chicken nuggets to their menu bc that goes really well with boba drinks - and that would make me come here a whole lot more often :)
(4)Jason C.
For those who don't know, Shilla Bakery is one of the 3 oldest Korean bakery chains in existence (started ~1970). Shilla has been serving bread that was loved by many generations and was well known for its "So-bo-ru" bread-a derivative of the German Streusel that has a crumb topping of ground peanut, butter, flour, and sugar (and arguably one of the 3 most popular items at bakeries in Korea) and also for its red bean bread, castella sponge cake, and cream bread. Over the years, the landscape of the bakery business in Korea has changed with massive closings of mom and pop bakeries. Now the bakery shop scene is dominated by 4 Korean bakery chains one of which is Shilla (Crown, Paris Baquette, Tous Les Jours are the other 3). To survive the hyper-competitive market, the Korean bakery chains collaborated extensively with well-renowned European and Japanese bakeries and over time, a variety of different types of Koreanized versions (which I generalize as being sweeter and having less butter) of European/Japanese pastries and breads were introduced. I'm going to start off my review by stating the obvious: what you get at Shilla in the US is not what you get in Korea. EVERYTHING is different. You don't get the same variety and the taste is nowhere close. In contrast to Korea where pastry and bread baking is centralized, in the US, each bakery is responsible for baking its own bread because there aren't enough stores to support a centralized method of distribution. This creates a huge degree of inconsistency in taste from one bakery to another (an issue which is compounded by a lack of good bakers and non-standardized recipes across stores). In my experience, the quality of the products is largely driven by the location. I hate to say this, but NYC/NJ bakeries are far superior to ones in the DMV area. As rare as it is for me to admit and say this, of all the Korean bakeries I have tried on the East Coast, Paris Baquette in Fort Lee, NJ is as close if not identical to the bread you get in Korea. Unfortunately, both of the Shilla bakeries in Rockville MD and Annandale VA cannot come close to replicating this experience. I was thinking of passing on writing a review of Shilla since there are over several hundred reviews on yelp, but I changed my mind becuase I wanted to get the point across about not making sweeping generalizations based on an experience at one Korean bakery. From store to store, the taste and quality will vary widely (I'd say 2*-4.5*) depending on the location so before jumping to any conclusions and thinking "oh I tried that in Annandale/somewhere and it wasn't good" consider your location and overall yelp reviews. You'll be surprised to have much better experiences at Shilla or any Korean bakery for that matter elsewhere (or worse if you're unlucky ;)
(3)Tram N.
Terrible service. I asked for a to go container for the bing soo and was ignored all three times. What's up with that!? The green tea bing soo is delicious. I think I prefer shilla's bing soo over breeze cafés. I liked the many free samples as well. Minus one star for terrible service.
(4)choochoo t.
Love that this place has samples!!! While I'm familiar with most Chinese and Viet desserts, this is the second time I've been to a Korean bakery (first time was in Chinatown Vegas). We got here around 5pm on a Sunday and most of the samples were empty. But after about 10 minutes, someone started cutting little pieces for samples. She didn't refill all of the empty samples but there was a good amount. Here's what I had: Honeydew cake roll slice - the honeydew flavor is definitely there. Good thick slice. Would like more of the whipped filling but then again, I can never get enough of whipped cream. Sweet potato cake - I was sadly disappointed because it was too dense...I thought I was eating a cheesecake consistency at first. I've only had potato cake in this amazing Korean bakery in Chinatown Vegas but it was nice and fluffy, had lots of whipped cream (including between the layers), and chunks of potato in it. Sadly, there was no layer of whipped cream in between the layers here and no chunks. Strawberry mousse - hubby said it was good and would have it again. Raspberry macaron - satisfied but not the best I've had. Crispy crust with soft center. Would like it to have a little more raspberry tang and filling. At 5pm, I think only the regular flavors were left. I would have rather have pistacio or green tea. I forget what it's called but it is a bun with some texture on top filled with red bean. Pretty good. My friend tried their boba smoothies and was quite happy. I also tried samples of the walnut cookie. It was like a soft dough with filling and a piece of walnut inside. That was quite good. Also tried the twisted donut with sugar coating. The coating/crust made it crispy and I was really surprised it was so crispy and good. Friend liked the twisted with the red topping...I assume it was raspberry and I don't remember what it was called. I was eying the fruit cake slice but it didn't look like there was a lot of fruit in it, such as in between the layers. For around 5 bucks per slice, I guess I'd expect more. I haven't gone to Breeze Bakery but will try it out next time I'm near by to compare. Overall, very happy this place exists and so happy with the samples!!!!!
(4)Kim A.
Came here a couple of days ago for the first time. First impression was, wow its messy. Not much parking spots in the area. I looked around the pastries and desserts they had. Not much to choose from. I havent had bingsoo in Virginia yet. Wanted to see if it'll be the same or somewhat similar to the one I always get back in sanjose. We sat near the back of the store. It was weird to me that there was a back door that people walk in and out from. It was cold and sadly, couldnt sit anywhere else cause it was crowded. The bathroom was so messy. The floor was a mess with napkins, spoons, crumbs. Finally my bingsoo was ready. It was a fairly good size. It's alright, nothing extravagant. Most of my ice was already melted and didnt have much flavor. My friend got a Melon boba. It Tasted like watered down melon. I dont want to give this place a 3 star but from my experience, thats all I can give.
(3)Bulgaa B.
After trying this place two times, I was done with Shilla. My first time was last year and I got the green tea bingsoo with my friend. The bingsoo was ok and those cakes and pastries tasted just alright. Anyway, this time I went there and treated by their staff like I did something wrong for them. The cashier lady didn't respond me when I asked how she was with the big freaking smile on my face.Oh well, and then I proceeded to go while I was saying thank you! She only gave me this rude glance and kept on staring at the wall. Just to let you guys know I was the only one in line. RUDE COSTUMER SERVICE. Furthermore, I bought caramel bingsoo and it was just plain shaved ice with few pieces of chocolate and banana. And those hotdogs and mini pizza that they sell is just waste of money. Don't even try it. All in all, no shilla bakery for me.
(2)Sabrina M.
I've been going to Shilla for years and I keep coming back. This delicious Korean bakery has the best bingsoo (a speciality that comprises shaved ice, fresh fruit of choice, and condensed milk) and red bean pastries. One of the best parts are that they have generous samples of their baked goods around the shop. You can spend five minutes wandering and leave full and happy. I also love their pineapple pound cakes and castella cakes. Shilla Bakery is a must-try in Annandale :)
(5)Stephen C.
Local Korean bakery hangout for families and friends. The baked goods proves are ok. The drinks and ice cream are expensive.
(3)Brenda L.
Love this bakery, especially the boba and the samples they have of the baked goods. I'm a big fan of their croissants and donuts. My only gripe is the customer service, it's pretty bad.
(4)Scarlet K.
Ah, Shilla bakery. I like their bread, shaved ice (bing-soo), and everything. It gets crowded over the weekend and evenings. And bump into old friends a lot. I always love their bread samples and they make sure to refill those to the max too. Parking is a problem on weekends. Sometimes I can't find parking, so end up going to Breeze cafe instead or vice versa.
(3)Yujin M.
After writing off my usual bingsu joint (which shall remain unnamed) after the recent discovery of sprinkles and cornflakes littering my green tea bingsu, I went back to my roots and returned to Shilla. In my humble opinion, this is what classic bingsu should look like. Our green tea bingsu was messy--green tea syrup slopping over the bowl, a haphazard heap of shaved ice over two big lumps of green tea ice cream, no extraneous decorations adulterating my bowl. I'm all about aesthetics in presentation, but when it comes to my comfort food, clean is the way to go.
(4)T D.
I love the variety of treats available and they are indeed very delicious. However, the staff is the opposite... not personable... very rude... all about pay and get out... they deserve 0 stars.
(3)Ko K.
Like this place. Somewhat over priced though!
(3)E J.
One of the better Asian pastries places. Like that you can sample some of their baked goods before buying it. My favorite is the chocolate pastery and the amazing jalapeño bread.
(5)champagne s.
Never had anything bad from Shilla. I get depressed to come back to Miami every time I visit Shilla because there is nothing quite like it in Miami. Every bakery item and every dessert is done right! Definitely a gem of a place to try if you haven't yet. I look forward to my trip back to VA and to bring home tons of baked goods to enjoy here in FL! The service is fairly friendly although possibility of miscommunication is high due to language barrier. Just be prepared and don't get upset! The workers there are trying their hardest to communicate and be efficient so that the crowd can buy and pay as quickly as possible. Prices are beyond reasonable, poor and hungry college students come hither!
(5)Dave H.
Out of everyone here, we were the few folks that weren't blatantly Korean. Not that there's anything's wrong with that. The focus on this bakery should be on their sweet, sweet offerings, not the clientele. If you like coffee ice cream, get a bowl of their coffee bing soo - the shaved ice tickled me pink! While I wasn't wild about the mochi in it, corn flakes sealed the deal for me, as did the reasonable price.
(4)Roxy J.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!!! Mmm I can get my fill of red bean pastries, Taro bobba tea, and any other korean pastry that I crave......I want to try the bing soo but I feel like I need some peeps with me to take that on; I'm not brave enough to pull that feat off alone, lol Parking is usually always tight. It's the hangout spot so when you walk in and finally get past the bakery, which is hard because the samples will distract you, you'll see tables filled with people and their mountain high bing soo's. They always have cakes on display which one could actually order. Their cake slices are always delish too! Their staff is always smiling and very helpful when you get stuck deciding what to get. If you haven't been yet, what are you waiting for!? Take an appetite and have fun!
(5)Albert S.
The Bing Soo is good. Very big - for two people to eat. There is also a Rockville, MD location.
(4)Ruth C.
Three and a half stars. Busted toilet makes for sad women. We headed over here since it was right across the lot from LT. The red bean sounded more appetizing but I went with popular vote, so that's probably what I'll try next time I'm in the area. Cute cakes on display but the idea of all that fondant grosses me out a little. I nibbled some pound cake while I waited in line, which was fluffy with its freshness and not too cinnamon-y. Service was smiling but harried. It took longer than I expected for our pager to get buzzed, but there was a fair amount of customer volume at the time. Coffee bingsoo was like a dessert-for-breakfast bowl for two. There was enough coffee ice cream to keep me going until the late afternoon caffeine fix, and coffee syrup drizzled onto the shaved ice to boot. Corn flakes were pleasantly slow to get soggy. Loved the inclusion of glutinous rice cakes. I've had better bingsoo but this is the best I've had recently. Bakery samples and boba? I'm down for a sequel.
(3)Angie T.
I love Shilla Bakery. Yes, their drinks and bakery items are a bit overpriced but of those that are comparing to NYC or CA prices aren't being fair. Shilla Bakery is one of a handful that are in the area. NYC and CA has one almost every couple of blocks. Here, there is no competition so it only makes sense that their prices are a little higher. Although I do wish that there were more like it in the area. They have great cakes and Bing Soo. My gripe about the place, is that if you come on a weekend, the place is packed. It's hard to find seating and parking as well! But the one thing you can always count on when you come here is quality baked items.
(4)BERT O.
I really enjoy this location. Almost everything about Shilla Bakery gets me. Everytime I go it is packed with people, but they are quick about getting them served. Their breads are fresh. I always come here for Bubble Tea, my favorite is the Honey Dew Boba and also really like the Thai Tea Boba and the Chai Tea Boba. Also, this is a sweet bread lover's dream.
(5)Tatiana T.
I dont understand the low reviews this place is awesome! Go saturday mornings for super warm fresh goodies. The boba is amazing and the cakes are a hit anywhere you take them. All the pound cakes are good and prices are decent. Totally authentic, a must do!!
(5)Starr C.
I can't give this place any higher than a 3-star review only because I only got to sample their bingsoo. Everything LOOKED delicious, but I can't really judge if anything else actually tasted delicious, unfortunately. Walked in, ordered a strawberry bingsoo to split among the 4 of us after dinner. I've never had bingsoo before, but it was very tasty. I wasn't a huge fan of the ice cream, since it was relatively heavy and I'm not a big fan of heavy dairy flavors, but I managed to get 3 pieces of mochi that no one else seemed to get? Lots of fresh strawberries in the mix also. I hope I get to visit again because I feel like I'd love this place if only I got to sample more things.
(3)Xtine C.
Always consistent on their bread/pastry/bubble tea quality. Staple cafe to go to after a good meal! :)
(4)Eric J.
I feel their bingsoo quality hasn't been the same since two years ago
(3)Hannah F.
Shilla is one of my favorite stops in Annandale. I really appreciate how they provide numerous samples--because I'm not always familiar with the pastries. Everything I've tried there has been fabulous and fairly priced. The only downside is that it's often very busy--leaving out boatloads of samples tends to attract a lot of people--and sometimes it's hard to get a seat.
(5)Brandon T. L.
Desserts are banging! Try the bingsu, especially the caramel one if you love chocolate stuff. The bread and cake are good. The lines tend to be long on weekends, so go there during the week and stock up.
(4)Julia A.
Ah yes, Shilla. While there are numerous Korean bakeries scattered throughout Annandale and Northern Virginia in general, this one tops them all. The aroma stops you in your tracks when you initially walk in. But then you see the display of all the carefully crafted desserts on from the glass near the counter. There is definitely something in here for everyone. Their cakes look incredible and taste as good, if not better, than they look. Do make sure to try their free samples and you'll understand what I mean! Their non-pastries are quite good too. They have some great smoothies, teas, and coffees that are worth a taste. The only frustrating thing about this place is you won't be able to pick a favorite dish, because you will be shocked (in a good way) by all of them.
(5)Adrianna R.
This bakery is GREAT! We've been trying to find a good bakery in the area for pastries, etc. Coffee was also fantastic. We came really early in the morning as they were opening for the day. Smelled fantastic! Need to go back again!
(5)Jinho P.
Between Breeze and here, I prefer Breeze because of space and distance from highway. Overall, their pastries are good too. I am only lowering the rating because of location and spacing issues. Typically, you go to these places with a group of people or to meet your friends and seating is not enough. I would say, if you are in the area and looking to take-out, it's worth buying from here but I never stick around.
(3)Cindy M.
Great place to grab some dessert after a Korean pig out at Honey Pig. Just like the awesome bakeries in South Korea. Got the bingsoo and some tea. Would recommend!!
(5)Natchanan M.
Just got back from Shilla , all Bakeries was so good, have only one problem is a cashier was so mean and real bad, ( a young lady with a white shirt with pink sleeve ) she said u guys move! I don't know where is she graduated from ?! Or her school never teach a basic sentence to say please or could u!
(3)SY Y.
This is one of the best Asian bakeries in the DC area. I love that they have samples of everything, which is really helpful especially if you're not familiar with their baked goods. The prices range from $1-10. Customized cakes are also available. They have a cafe section which is usually packed and their bing soo (shaved ice) is fantastic. I usually get the fruit bing soo which comes with mochi. Parking is a little tight but you can always park at the back, near to the shops. This location is by far much better than the Rockville location in terms of varieties of food. Service is meh but someone once said that to me that in an Asian restaurant/bakery, bad service means great food.
(5)Jean S.
Hands down the best Korean bakery in Annandale for traditional Korean pastries and their bingsoos. Slightly overpriced but its because they can get away with it. In terms of cakes, their fruit mousse cakes are amazingly delicious but the other ones are just alright, nothing too special
(4)Linh N.
Food is pretty decent and the price is not too bad. I always look at customer service whenever i go eat outside food and their customer service is on and off. Sometimes i'll be greeted by a nice cashier, other times they will be rude or very brisk with me.
(3)Emily C.
Shilla bakery is amazing. When I first moved to the area, I was craving some asian pastries. really really badly. A coworker recommended this place and I'm so glad he did. The pastries here are delicious! Don't believe me? go there and try it yourself! They have tons of samples all over the place-enough so you can get full from that. While all of the pastries are good, my favorite one has bunch of layers of puff pastry and light cream and sponge cake. Soooo good. I always end up buying tons of stuff! There's a good amount of seats if you can't wait to chow down on your yummies, or if you want to try the bingsoo (shaved ice) that comes in several varieties. yum~
(5)Esther C.
I love Shilla Bakery! While not as pretty in atmosphere as it's competitor, Breeze Bakery in Annandale, the pastries are hands down the best in the area. I will always go out of my way to go here if I'm looking to satisfy my hunger for yummy Korean pastries and bingsoo!!! Love, love, LOVE it!!!
(5)Tiffany L.
After going to Breeze Bakery, which was a huge disappointment, we made this our second stop. Between these two, I think it's a no-brainer. Shilla all the way. They had tons of samples of baked goods to try, many of which I liked. Their bing soo was also so much better than the one I had at Breeze. My group was entirely in agreement.
(4)Lisa B.
I had the Americano latte with a chi late layer cake, simply the best! Ambience inside was nice but it does get busy at times, resulting in long lines. Would definitely try again!
(4)Grace C.
A group of us enjoyed sharing one of the fruit shaved ice dishes (a 'bing soo'). It was tasty, with good fruit. I thought it tasted much better than the bing soo we got at Breeze Bakery. One of my favorite things about Shilla is the abundance of samples they have! There were free samples of at least 15 different cakes/breads/pastries when we went around 9pm on a Sunday. Some of the baked goods tasted weird... but that's OK because you can try before you buy!
(4)Chich S.
I'm a huge bingsoo fan, and the fact that they still serve it in the winter is great news for me! The red bean bingsoo is delish and probably the biggest reason why I'll be back. The mocha roll cake was a bit too spongy and tasteless compared to those I've had at other korean bakeries.
(4)P T.
I really love going to this place, especially after getting some Korean BBQ or Pho in the area. I like to call this place a small Asian version of Whole Foods because there are samples of products as you walk in and you can try many things before you purchase it. We often peruse the free samples, get a bingsoo for the table, and take some goodies to go. The bingsoo is awesome! So is the bubble tea. Once in a while you can get some fresh mochi buns. The prices are reasonable. The place gets really crowded later on in the evening to the point that there is no seating. If you want to get in and get out or want a seat, it is best to come before 8:00 p.m.
(5)Jey J.
YUM YUM YUM! this is my favorite location of theirs. They always have a plethora of baked goods in stock and the bingsoo is to die for. I've tried most flavors but the Strawberry and Red Bean are my favorite.
(5)Ada Z.
The Bing (water ice) there is great with red beans. And need to mention the nice environment. Great experience
(4)Dmitry D.
Well this place would have got a 4 or even maybe a 5 but out of 7 desserts that I got for the family 5 of them had HAIR in them. Call it bad luck but no matter how good this place is people in the kitchen need to wean air nets and the hair was just discusting. The cream stuffed buns were good, the strawberry glazed donut was good also. The pizza with ham and crab had to much going on with it and whatever the white sauce that was on it there was just to much. The macaroons weren't bad and they had a good variety of flavors. I really hope they wear hair nets.
(3)Jen S.
If it weren't for the sales associates trying to feverishly stock their food items while I'm trying to look around or other customers bumping into me and looking at me like I'm the one at fault, I would give it at least another star but this place stinks in terms of customer service. The packaged carb goodies are delish but I'd rather not return again. FYI...I ordered a milk tea boba thinking that yes, finally a place that serves milk tea boba that is not a slushie, but sadly, it was. What a disappointment....
(2)Michael M.
Melon Rolls... OMG these things are addictive. It's like a melon twinkie disguised as a yeast roll! I've gone here about 2 dozens times to get pastry's and such and each time I get something new and fresh. This bakery is a diamond in the rough and and a local haunt that not many know about. I hope it stays packed with locals and NOT packed with everyone under the sun!!!
(5)Ivy L.
I love going to Shilla for baked goods and free samples. The only downside is that it can get really busy so it's hard to find parking and/or seating at certain hours. Also, I can never guarantee that my favorite pastries will be available.
(4)Kim H.
Ok I'm giving this place five stars mostly for the fro yo! I dunno what the heck they put in it, but it's damn good. I've been to all the Cali joints, Pinkberry, Red Mango, Golden Spoon, etc....and NOTHING compares. I also love the cream filled pastries (mocha is the best!). They make for a guilty yummy breakfast.
(5)Yelp_user M.
Very cosy bakery. I loved the fact that I could try baking goods before actually purchasing them. Thumbs up for this idea. All bakery goods look fresh and taste awesome. Too bad I cannot eat too many sweet things, as I've been trying to loose weight lol. If I were skinny, I would buy the entire store lol.
(5)Cat V.
I come here with my family when ever I come to the east coast to visit. Here are some observations. The macroons aren't worth it. They're just kinda dryer and harder than they need to be, it's a pass. The croquettes can be okay sometimes but are also often freezing cold or horrifically oily. So why does it have 4 stars? I would cut off a small toe to have mocha pie castellas sent to my house once a week for the rest of my life. I'm not even sure that's the exact name because one morning I asked the lady if they had coffee castellas and she said no....okay, pretty sure that was what it was labeled but whatever. I went back later that day and they were there. I love the coffee cake shell, the puff pastry insides, whatever else they put in there, it's great. The bingsoo is huge and lovely. You really build family affection fighting over the various elements in the bowl. I guess elbowing your cousin for the last mochi isn't nice but it'll be forgiven eventually right? Overall a nice place and I'm sure I'll return next time I'm in the area.
(4)Tracy D.
I enjoy the treats and boba. Bingsoo is yummy but has gotten much smaller over the years. I'm not sure if its because this place gets crazy, but I dislike how dirty and uncared for the tables and bathroom can become. The atmosphere is a bit more boisterous so don't expect to have intimate conversations. I'd come here only if I can't find parking at Breeze.
(3)Xuan Y.
Friendly staff and delicious food. Tapioca bread and bingsoo are on top of my recommendation list. The only complain is that they sometimes run out of tapioca, so good luck!
(5)Brandon L.
They have very excellent bread that is baked fresh. Their bubble tea is amazing, it has great flavor and taste. The only bad thing about Shilla is that there is rarely any room to sit and enjoy their food. Also, their prices on their things are much more expensive than other companies.
(4)Anthony C.
The boba from shilla is amazing as always with a wide variety of flavors. But when I go to this shilla, I always go for the bing soo if I plan on sitting down and chilling. The fruit was fresh the one time I ordered the fruit flavor, and the classic red bean-green tea mix was amazing. Good flavor and even had mochi's hidden inside. So my stars are mostly based on the boba and bingsoo. I can't say much about the baked goods and cakes.
(5)Joanne C.
Horrible service! Only plan on coming here if you have plenty of time on your hands and a penchant for demeaning treatment. I ordered 2 bubble teas and waited nearly 15 mins, while everyone else that ordered behind me received their orders. I had to chase down a server to check on our order because standing smack in front of her empty handed was not apparent enough. The server guaranteed that our order was being made as we speak. Well, 10 mins later still no drinks. As I stared at the server that pretended not to see us, I asked politely where our drinks were. She then went to the kitchen and held the door opened as she argued with the only single person that seemed to be working, about whose job it was to make drinks. In the time they spent arguing, I could have made the drinks myself. The sever then continued to ignore us with not so much of an apology or regard. So, 30 mins after placing our drink order did we finally receive two mediocre drinks. Unless you look like a Kpop star avoid at all costs, unless you like judgemental stares and rude service.
(1)Helen S.
If I go back again, I would try something else other than the shaved ice. I've been here couple times and I always ended up having the shaved ice with green tea ice cream and their homemade mochi because I was always full when I go and I just share it with my friends. I think I am not really a big fan of shaved ice. I usually shove them away and go for the ice cream and mochi. They are pretty awesome. The cake and other baked goods they have look amazing but i never got a chance to get them. The macaroons however were a disappointment. I thought I was biting rocks coated with sugar. But I let it slide just because it was late at night and the poor macaroons probably have sat there all day already. Parking is not bad at night. Its almost always crowded but I always manage to find an open spot :)
(3)Kate J.
Good stuff , yes , horrible staffs, extremely bad manner , it was not the first time I went but the service stays the same.
(1)Rom C.
Looking for a place to hang out after over eating at any one of the korean bbq places off the tpke, well look no further. With free samples of many of their baked goods and a plethora of cold drinks to choose from (i highly recommend the sour apply boba tea) Add a pack of "nut" looking baked goods stuffed with red bean, and you'll set! Sit back, enjoy conversations with good friends or just listen to mainstream music while people watching - it's like watching episodes of a k-drama - young love is everywhere and so bring a date (or two)
(4)Julia N.
This bakery is bustling with people which is a pretty good sign that they are doing something right. There are so many baked goods and a good variety of them, it's awesome! I love me some good presentation, with cakes, specifically speaking, or just baked goodies in general. Presentation of cakes and all here were superb. I would have to say though that I have had better cakes at Tiffany's Bakery such as the fruit cake. I was a pretty big fan of the White Chocolate Mousse Cake, the Opera Cake, and the Tiramisu though (considering that Tiramisu is my favorite dessert of all times). Next time I come here I'm trying some bing soo! And getting me some more Tiramisu.. If you get it to-go (not sure if it's the same if you order it to eat inside), you can keep the glass bowl/container it's in which I think is a good trade for its price (the Tiramisu that is).
(4)Cindy C.
Oh my goodness. $7 a big bowl of ice cream that you can share with five people to eat. Lol oh my goodness. I invites all of my friends to meet me at this bakery. One of thee best place and my top number one to eat to fill your craving. My number one choices!!
(5)Sarah C.
Grabbed a basket/tray and performed my routine. When you get there too early, you'll just get in their way hehe. I've never made it before the rush - I never should. Let the good moms of Shilla do their job and stock the babies up. I walked to the finished area and started drooling.... nothing new. My 'Most Wanted' List: (not all purchased today - I'm not -that- bad... Kev, oops, I did that "-...-" again :P) Tapioca/red bean filled bread $1.95 (purchased) Almond cookie $1.50 Fruit pastry $2.95 (purchased and devoured inside Shilla's) Croissant $1.95 Almond and raisin bread $2.50 (purchased) Soboro $0.95 White bean filled bread $1.50 (purchased) Green bean filled bread $1.50 Red bean filled bread $1.50 (purchased) Cream filled soboro $1.95 (purchased) Strawberry cream filled bread $0.95 Almond cream filled bread $0.95 (purchased) Sausage rolls $1.50 Madeleine tea cakes (chewy cookies) - set of two $1.25 (purchased) Oy, I'm hungry again. Typing treats = temptation. Good thing they're waiting in the fridge. My current 'crack', at this specific Shilla, is the tapioca/red bean filled bread. Also contains chestnuts! But can do without the black sesame seeds - got floss? Same set up as the Rockville location except the non-refrigerated items are at the front of the entrance. Took some pics that are found in their business profile yelp.com/biz_photos/Fhii… Wow, within twenty minutes, their parking section was packed. Munch time... I mean, lunch time. This head store is here to stay.
(4)Ross S.
Hours of Operation: Mon-Thurs 7:00 AM-11:00 PM Fri-Sat 7:00 AM - 12:00 AM Sun 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM I like the idea that consumers can taste the product before buying it. At least you know what you are buying.
(4)Brittany H.
DAMN, I forget how massive their bingsoos are here...My personal favorites were the banana and green tea...(before the fro-yo hype). Naturally, I was very much inclined to try their yogurt (holy crap at a whopping $9.50???? a little bit highway robbery don't you think? this better be something special) OMG, it was so massive that I just had to take a picture to share with you all. I couldn't stop laughing ... a friend and I had just came back from dinner. The thing was ginormous, BUT to my surprise, we made a pretty good dent in it. The base layers were whipped with corn flakes, honey dew, strawberries, bananas, peaches and shaved ice, swirled around with the yogurt. In all essence, yogurt is like ZERO fat calories..... all the meat seemed to be sitting on the bottom. I don't say no to sugar, esp. when I'm pretty sure it's healthier than my normal monstrosity of choices. Now that I am thinking about it.... For half as much, I would not nearly get half of all that crap with iceberry.... so I guess for that, it's decently priced, but you can definitely share that with 2-3 people! Sadly, we didn't finish ours.... Oh yes, they have small Korean baked goodies, cakes and coffee too. Tables within the cafe setting if you are in no hurry to go anywhere. Watch your damn order come out in the "pick-up" section....we had quite a wait on our hands, apparently ours was given away because we didn't hear our number.....
(4)Jenn H.
Shilla shilla shilla. Why are there no asian bakeries in the area? I feel like some part of me is dying. Luckily Shilla is there to save me, in case I ever need asian pastries so badly that I'm willing to pay $$$ for a tiny bun. I'm not a huge fan of their pastries, in general--they're a tad too buttery/oily (the place I frequent back home is much more light and delicate, the way I like)--but they're good. I do enjoy their green tea bingsoo--green tea ice cream and rice cake thingers and red bean with ice and plenty of condensed milk--but unfortunately it's a tad too expensive, and I'm not a fan of crunchy ice. Truth be told though, I've never had the fluffy, snow-like ice in my shaved ice anywhere on the east coast--so I suppose I can't be too picky. Anyways, decent pastries, decent bingsoo, a tad pricey, but the only option? I think 3 is about right.
(3)Jami B.
One word... tiramisu! So good I thought I would die of happy! Get one for every birthday, holiday and every now and then just because I want it.
(5)Kristine V.
Cute cute place. I love this place!!! My favorite bakery ever. They have yummy breads , cakes and ice cream. Its always full of people. Dont forget to try their boba tea too
(4)Jenya H.
Pretty good bakery in Annandale. The Bing soo is cool me down in Summer! (Love the Green tea with red bean flavor). I bought a lot of cakes here for my friends BD. Never disappoint! The cake roll is my favorite! I did tried the hot coco twice but end up with stomach up set. But I will always go there. They have a lot of snacks for us to try free. Also if you go there before they closed they will give you free snacks(left over of the day?) but yes! I love it!
(4)Rachel S.
I felt like I was in the kids movie, "Hook" when the imaginary, delectable food came to life.This place rocked my foodie world. The bread looks beautiful, is extremely artsy, colorful and creative. The beauty of the bread made me wonder if it could taste anywhere half as good as it looked. Oh yes, it did. It sure did. I was in awe as I walked around tasting the abundant supply of heavenly free samples. That's when my inner kid really came out. I kept going back for more and more. This bread is amazing! I also recommend their Korean drinks.
(5)Elizabeth S.
I went here again after eating at Honey Pig (starting to be a habit) and we decided to stop here to show our friends. This place gets better and better. I give this more then 5+ stars because they had samples of mostly everything!!! Isn't that awesome?? We got to try this thing with chicken curry in it....boy it was amazing and warm. They also came out with a fresh cart of food and it just made the whole place smell even more heavenly. They even had someone put the pastries in the bags for us. Customer service is excellent, food is excellent. 5+ Stars!!
(5)Jo L.
Not your American bakery, instead they have it all! Korean, American, French, and fusion. This is my favorite location for selection and sampling. Yes, sampling, they have toothpicks and it is like a cocktail party. Just don't fill up! A word the wise, it is popular and crowded, for a good reason. You have a selection of breads, pastries, cakes, fancy desserts, soft server yogurt, boba tea, and BING SOO to choose from! So I suggest visiting and trying different things every time you venture over. Been there with just a friend and we have sampled each others dishes, and been in large groups and shared everything. Never a disappointment! Cakes: The pineapple, sweat potato, and cream cheese pound cakes have never failed to please. These are denser, buttery, flavorful cakes perfect with a hot beverage. Pastries: Red bean filled pastry is my personal favorite. A colleague loves the tapioca ball. Many of the pastries are too sweet for me, so the red bean filled is a happy medium with the creamy goodness of the beans toning down the overly sweet exterior. Fancy Desserts: A crowd favorite is the Opera Cake, one couple swears by the Tiramisu, and I just about like any of their chocolate creations. Most are very light, fluffy, and not overly sweet. These are better served with a nice tea. Boba Tea: While boba tea in China is served hot, with the popular being black pearl milk tea, here it is served like an icy slushy. This was breakfast for me after discovering the Taro. Taro is a potato in the sweet potato side of the family, very ugly little hairy root. This purple tuber is often used in Chinese cakes as a creamy natural sweet between layers (not found around here). Having tried green tea, black milk, watermelon, and taro, I just keep returning to taro. Mmmm, cold, icy, semi-sweet (flavor dependent), with the tapioca 'pearls' at the bottom for chewy fun. What better on a hot summer day! BING SOOOOOOOOO: The healthier alternative to Ice Cream when it is HOT HOT HOT. This is shaved ice, sound boring? Try again. Depending on what you order you can have bits of rice cake, fruit, yogurt, etc... I truly enjoy the fruit bing soo, always made with fresh, not frozen or canned, fruit. Drizzled with sweet condensed milk, the flavors melt through and still stand on their own. Very refreshing any day where it is just hot!
(4)Beck E.
Really 3.5 stars. The parking right out front of the bakery is a nightmare--the spots are cramped, and there's not a lot of space to back out and turn around when you are leaving. I recommend parking in the back. I love the strawberry cream pastry, especially given that it's only $1... but every time I've been there at night (around 7:30 pm), they're all out for the day! The selection is actually pretty sparse at night, which is understandable because the pastries probably go stale fast. The bingsoo is good, especially the yogurt bingsoo... but that's a bit on the pricey side.
(3)Minna S.
I love this bakery! There is so much variety! I come here all the time but only come for the baked goods. I haven't ordered from their menu yet, but I'm sure it's good.
(4)Alicia G.
Kevin and I decided to split some bing soo. After careful deliberation (ie. should we get the green tea? the strawberry? ... the banana?...NO! the red bean...NO!)...we settled on the pineapple. See photo(s) here: yelp.com/biz_photos/Fhii… It was pretty tasty. The pineapple syrup was pineapple-y. There were pinapple pieces in there - though canned, not fresh cut. Still, I was satisfied with our choice. We got about a quarter to half way through before we decided we couldn't really figure out if the "ice cream" was actually ice cream or if it was sorbet or custard or just some creamy frozen substance. Kathleen tasted it - and then commented on how the ice part of our bing soo reminded her of yellow snow... And then Kevin and I both put our spoons down. Good thing we had already eaten about as much bing soo and pineapples as we could.
(3)Tucker H.
As far as I'm concerned, this Shilla is the standard by which all other korean bakeries in the area should be judged. If you'v never been to a korean bakery, don't expect fresh baguettes and boules of sourdough, that's not what they do. What they do, very well, is lots of semi-sweet and deliciously moist cakes, as well as buttery, almost croissant-like rolls stuffed with sweet red bean paste, green tea butter, strawberry butter, etc etc etc. They also have some tasty and crunchy cookies, but if you don't like almonds be careful, a lot of them seem to use a hint of almond extract for additional flavor. One of the really nice things about korean bakeries, and Shilla especially, is that they usually have a ton of their products out as samples, so you can taste your way around to find something you like. This place is always packed, and the parking lot is tiny, but it is worth a visit.
(4)Nicole L.
On a very laid back, totally unplanned 14 hour annandale restaurant crawl we stopped by Shilla Bakery our third stop after stuffing our faces with delicious food from Gom Tang E and Bon Chon Chicken. We slowly made our way to Shilla's for some bingsoo. Le Matin was cute but Shilla's the real deal. Last time I was here was 5-6 yrs ago. This was a kick-ass bakery with high quality baked goods, pastries and cakes. It was such a delight to see the beautifully baked and presented cakes and breads, especially the cake that was shaped like a giant mocha coffee cup. There were free samples of various products and we tried everything - everything was delicious especially the mocha cake with layers of filo dough - there were texture, richness, softness and a perfect balance of sweetness. I ended up buying the mocha cake and a cup of green tea. We tasted Mikkela's strawberry bingsoo it was a giant bowl of shaved iced, strawberry ice-cream, fresh strawberries and sauce. It was very tasty and great for a few people to share with. We hung out at the bakery for 3-4 hours before we decided to head to another venue for a late dinner. Throughout the time there, people came and went but it was always packed.
(4)Natasha S.
I have been coming to this specific location for the last 12 years. It's a great Korean bakery in where you can find delicious mini and full size cakes, frozen desserts and breads. I love their cakes when they are fresh. They make some great bing soo, my only suggestion is to come when they are busy. Although, you have to fight a crowd to order and find seating, it's most likely more fresh. I really love their cakes, my favorite are the fruit cakes. Leave it to us Asians to make the best desserts! Not too sweet, and just right!
(4)Kelly G.
The group of us who dined together at Honey Pig reconvened at this bakery/gathering place after dinner. They have all sorts of baked goods. Macaron. Birthday cakes. Bread. Buns. What caught my eye was the fiber drink. I did not try it. I wish I had. I know I'll probably never be back here again. Oh well. 1/13/12
(3)Juliet A.
Shilla is well-loved by many people in the DC-NoVA area - it is always teeming with customers. From my numerous visits here (always at the behest of my husband, usually after a diner at Sorak Garden), I remain unimpressed. The bakery offers numerous samples, and treats ranging from white-bean cookies to bingsoo to fro-yo to crunch nutty cokies and fluffy cakes. But all of these have the same problem in common: NO FLAVOR. Everything tastes spongey or overly flour-y or just plain bland. Sorry, Shilla. I know you have many fans out there, but I just ain't one of 'em.
(2)Nini T.
I love the tiramisu cake from here. It's not too sweet like many other cakes I have tasted. A nice place to hang out with your friends at anytime, and you can stay for hours, without feeling like someone is rushing you out. They usually have free samplers for you to try, which are delicious. The foods are great, and the price is reasonable. The only thing I don't like to come here a lot because of lack of parking spot. Always crowded (which is a good sign for businesses), but I don't like the hassle of fighting/finding for the parking. Or finding people just put emergency signal, park on the side n block everyone. The parking space is already small to begin with. I have recommend this place to a lot of my friends, especially from out of town. I definitely would come back, mainly for the tiramisu cake.
(4)Yaka H.
Cute Korean bakery is a pretty crowded shopping plaza. It has a decent amount of seating, so this is a good place to meet up with friends, grab some desserts and coffee, and chat. One thing that's great about this bakery is that there are a lot of free samples scattered about the breads, pastries and cakes. The breads can be pretty sweet with their fillings of white bean, red bean, etc., but the cakes tend to be that really light and fluffy Asian sponge cake and not as sweet as their American counterparts. The cakes come in various sizes to individual little cakes for 1 to large cakes for a party. The Green Tea Bing Soo which is a huge mountain of shaved ice with red beans, green tea ice cream and sweetened condensed milk that can be shared with a group of friends. Yummy! Very similar to the Taiwanese shaved ice. The Green Tea Bing Soo was a great way to end the KBBQ meal we just had at Honey Pig. There's also froyo available at Shilla's too.
(4)Boo L.
I was pleasantly surprised by this bakery. Hoping that what I'm about to say doesn't come off sounding really uninformed, I honestly wasn't familiar with the fact that Asian bakeries like this existed. Being a huge fan of Asian cuisine across the board ,about the only desserts I've seen have pretty much been limited to ice cream or, in the case of Thai food, sweet sticky rice or tapioca. Shilla had a ton of sweets and savory breads. I had a hard time deciding what to try. I settled on a multi-layered chocolate mousse that was very satisfying. It's definitely worth a visit.
(4)Jessica Y.
On a hot, summer afternoon, this is a great place to go for bingsu! The bakery was packed as it was another typical humid, hot day in DC. The bingsu here is reasonably priced and comes in huge portions! It wasn't my favorite place, but definitely satisfying.
(4)Jenny A.
I'm very used to the Shilla in Centreville since I live there, but I've been a regular customer to this one as well since it has opened. I've heard from others that their customer service was horrible the first couple of years they've opened, but never experienced it myself until the end of 2011. Their customer service is HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE. My girlfriend and I walked in one Friday evening and the cashiers were confident enough to scoff RIGHT IN FRONT OF US while checking out...(?) Really now? Was it because we were a lesbian couple? The cashier that "checked" us out didn't even check me out. She had a disgusted look on her face and handed it to the girl next to her to swipe it. Once, I went to this dreadful place again to grab a Chai Tea Latte because I forgot to pick it up in Centreville on my way to work and they gave me a different order, which was a Thai Latte. Obviously the color of a Chai Tea Latte, if you've been working there is brownish gray, but the one they gave me was a bright orange liquid in cup! I even went to the cashier to give them one last chance and emphasized the words CHAI TEA LATTE, but said to my face that that bright orange liquid she saw in my cup was a Chai Tea Latte. I couldn't believe it. Never went back to this place since. You're much better off going to Le Matin De Paris, Dolce, or Breeze. Even if these places didn't carry great pastries, at least you're going to get decent customer service.
(1)Jay P.
I have been to this place many times, but every single time I visited, staff members especially cashier were extremely rude. I would recommend going to breeze or shilla centreville.
(1)Karen L.
Love love love the cream puffs. They have a whipped cream filling and seem so delicate and light. Sometimes I buy two containers, thinking I'll kindly gift the second batch to my mom who also loves them. Sometimes they make it to her, sometimes they follow that first batch right into my stomach. The other pastries are pretty good too. They have tons of samples so you can try out new items to see what you like. I like that they have bing soo too. Good to satisfy the craving, but not the best I've had.
(4)Audrey L.
I'm beginning to love this place more and more throughout the years. Their service used to be a bit on the rude side if you aren't Korean, but they've gotten a lot better recently. Their variety of bread is definitely growing by the day. The quality has always been excellent. I always buy their cakes for any occasion (birthdays, christmas, etc). The icing is much lighter than American-style cakes, which I love because I'm not a big fan of icing. I recommend their fruit cake if your taste buds are similar to mine (not too sweet). All of their coffee choices are great. Their paninis are okay. The best part of this bakery is definitely their bingsoo. I recommend their yogurt bingsoo, strawberry bingsoo, and green tea bingsoo. Great bakery, I'd go every week if I could.
(4)Jessica W.
I think the bakery is great, but not as good as breeze bakery. Even so, I love coming here when I'm close by.
(4)Patrick G.
Free samples and good coffee.
(4)Jee D.
I've been coming here for years and I've never actually sat down and had anything to eat here - I always take everything home. Their pastries and breads are individually wrapped and ready for instant gratification, or gratification the next day. They always have the usual culprits like red bean filled or white bean filled goodies, in addition to their delicious assortment of cakes. Their cakes are definitely Korean style - not overtly sweet, yet sweet enough and the cake itself is light and fluffy...just thinking about it makes me want to celebrate someone's birthday right. now. I also love that they have savory pastries and the tofu crackers...those are sooo good! It's lightly crispy with black sesame seeds in them....so so delicious! My only qualm is that their selection varies so they might not have something you're looking for (ex. my brother loves the strawberry cream filled ones, but they won't have that sometimes). In any case, whenever I'm in Annandale, I always stop in and find something that suits my mood (or someone's b-day...like mine....maybe it's my b-day today....).
(4)Glinda C.
After reading many reviews, and since it's across the street from my office I tried it twice for lunch. Both times it was just "OK." Maybe I'm ordering the wrong item, I don't know. The first time I had the grilled chicken salad whcih was woefully lacking in chicken. The dressing is a soy-ginger sauce and was pretty good. Today I ordered an ordinary Ham & Cheese sandwich. The menu board said with "SWISS" cheese so I can't figure out why mine had two thick slices of "CHEDDAR" and only ONE slice of ham, the cheese was over-whelming. Maybe I'm not supposed to order food just baked goods. hmmmm!. And I'm not sure if the employees are rude or you're just non-existent to them. They will walk into you without a second glance. One of the workers backed into me and never bothered to look around, say excuse me or anything else.
(2)Josh S.
A popular hang-out, meet-up, and dessert place for Koreans in Annandale. There are lots of Korean restaurants nearby this bakery/cafe, so many Koreans or Asians flock to this place afterward for a more chattings and sweet treats. I have been coming here often during Summer days for popular item called Pat-Bing-Soo (red bean shaved ice) for $7. It's large enough to share between two people, so after a date - this makes a perfect scene to continue your night - that is, only if she agreed to do so. They also carry other beverages such as boba tea, smoothies, and coffees but I am not a big fan of them. For coffee, I'd go to Starbucks or Caribou. For boba tea, I'd go to Rockville, MD (anyone know a good boba tea place in Virginia?) and for smoothie, I go to Smoothie King. I come here for delicious, yet overpriced bakeries, pat-bing-soo, and to look at cute girls. The place can get extremely crowded during weekends, especially after 9PM. You will also see many Korean teenagers who come here to hang but be extremely loud and hyper which makes the scene very unpleasant. If you really want to impress your date, then head to Dolce -- which is two blocks away from Shilla.
(3)Thomas N.
My girlfriend suprised me with a birthday cheesecake from this place. It looked and taste amazing. I have no idea the price though.
(4)Jennifer M.
As always, I love Shilla. The Annandale location is quaint. Maybe a little on the small side and with inconvenient parking layout. But their breads and bingsoo is the best! My parents love the milk or raisin bread. I love the red or mung bean paste-filled breads and the chestnut breads! Did I mention the selection of cute little patisserie items? Delicious chocolate mousse. But most of all, for that asian experience: the bingsoo. I think the red bean is a little on the sweet side, but the fresh fruit or green tea one is a fav. They served the green tea bingsoo with honeydew, whereas the centreville location served it with kiwi. I don't know if it was a seasonal thing, but the honeydew was bland in comparison to the green tea ice cream and syrup. And I feel that the rice cakes in the bingsoo here are a little more on the mushy/chewy side. But all-in-all YUM!
(4)Silvia L.
Good for padpingsoo
(3)Gwen N.
This is one of my favorite places to go to hang out and have some ice cream. Their Strawberry Bingsoo is delicious and incredibly HUGE! It's perfect to share with a friend. The next best thing here are the cakes. The fruit cake is lightly sweetened (not like the cakes at the grocery chain stores where the frosting is basically pure sugar...) with fruit mixed in. I have to say the cakes are a bit on the pricey side, but definitely worth it in my opinion. Their single serve cakes are definitely overpriced though, but it's a good way to get a taste of the cakes before buying a whole one. As for their pastries, there are a bunch that I'm not too fond of, I feel like they're bland. But there are also a bunch that are very tasty. I think I'd have to say that I prefer their "savory" pastries (meat buns, pizzaish type pastry, etc) over their sweet pastries. Finally, the atmosphere at Shilla is great! It's not really a quiet place to go with violins playing in the background, but it's very sophisticated looking and friendly. There's usually a good amount of chit chat going on from the other customers, but that makes it feel "homely" to me. The tables are spaced a bit close to one another, but that didn't bother me either.
(4)Diana K.
Meh. There are never enough seats here, it's always way too busy, the sample plates are always empty, and the froyo is really overpriced (considering the lack of topping variety and the modest portions). If you're looking for a bakery in Annandale, go to Le Matin De Paris right across the street. Most people tend to drive right by, unaware of its existence (I know I did many times before). INSIDER TIP: Skip this Shilla location. The only Shilla Bakery worth going to in VA is the one in Centreville.
(2)Kristen H.
Shilla is a very cool Korean bakery and cafe frequented by many young Koreans. It's definitely a place to see and be seen. It has a nice chic, trendy atmosphere and it's the type of place where everyone seems to be enjoying the conversation of their lives. I have been to Shilla on many occasions and they have tons of baked goods, but I can honestly say, Im not a fan of them at all. I don't think it's because they do them poorly, more so because I prefer SE Asian baked goods to what you find at Shilla. The pastries here just aren't half as good as they look in my mind. It's a cultural difference---I don't like really sweet pastries, but to me, these are not sweet enough to clearly distinguish them as dessert. All of my Korean friends' parents always give them long lists of things to pick up from this place (since we are all from Richmond or further south in VA), so, if you actually like Korean-style pastries, let that be an indicator of the quality of their baked goods, as opposed to my evaluation of them. What I come for is nothing more, nothing less than the bingsoo! It is SO good!!!. I love the stuff! For those of you who aren't familiar with bingsoo, most East Asian countries have their own version of this shaved ice treat. It's shaved ice topped with ice cream, condensed milk, and toppings of your choice (fresh fruit, fruit cocktail, sweet red beans, rice cake, and much more). You mix it all together and share it with a few friends. My hometown is Chesterfield, VA and my friends in Northern VA and I always meet here to catch up in the summer. I've had strawberry, almond, pot bingsoo, and the one with the fruit cocktail. It is all so very very good! i love the mixed textures from the crunchy ice, the creamy ice cream, and the chewy toppings. I will say that I prefer Taiwanese shaved ice to Korean, but the bing soo is just that, bing soo, not Taiwanese shaved ice, and it is very tasty! Not too sweet either. I definitely recommend going in and giving this place a try, even if only for the bing soo. I say, grab some friends and come share a nice bowl of bing soo!
(4)Karmen C.
I have been a faithful Shilla Bakery shopper for almost 6 years now and although their pastries are good the service has gotten worse. The people taking your orders are completely rude and they don't explain things very well. Lack of English doesn't seem to be the issue. May be they just don't prefer to serve customers that are non Korean very well. Worse is that when you place an order the whole thing is written in Korean so there is no way for you to check or figure out what they are saying about your order. Three weeks ago I ordered my daughter's birthday cake and I was very specific about "no toys" on the cake we picked. The order taker nodded and even wrote it down, but "in Korean". When my husband picked up the cake there were toys. The service needs to improve BIG TIME!
(2)Benjamin Y.
I gave 2 stars purely out of poor customer service. Their breads and bingsoos are the best, no other places can do better. However, their employees are way too rude. I used to bring tons of my non-Korean friends here for bingsoos, but a guy with a long brown hair & a few other girls who work here are always rude to my friends which is very upsetting.
(2)Karen C.
Love the yogurt bing soo and coffee but don't care for their Boba/Bubble tea at all. They have both the slushy and non-slushy but both were WAY TOO SWEET for me and their tapioca pearls were hard, stale or not cooked fully each time I went! I felt like I was drink syrup. I thought maybe the first time they just had made it a little to sweet but i bought it 2 addtional times and they were the same. I definitely didn't enjoy their Boba and don't ever plan to buy it again from Shilla Bakery. Also, they charge $4.95 compared to Chinese/Taiwanese places that charge $2.50 for the same thing. The place tends to get crowded and noisy (defnitely not a study/work spot) and I've found that they really aren't too helpful if you don't speak korean. The pastry is a bit pricey. There has also been a few times I bought the baked goods and within a 2 days of brining it home, it started molding and the taste and texture doesn't taste fresh so normally if I buy the baked goods, I eat it the next day, I never buy more than one. Also, I don't suggest going there 20-30 minutes before closing. I went with a group of friends and ordered the yogurt bing soo, instead of telling us that we couldn't sit and stay to eat, they just packed it to-go (which isn't the same experience than eating it there) and told us we can't sit down and stay...AFTER they already took our money.
(3)S S.
I love the food and the beverages and everything else except that there is a credit card use limitation. Very inconvinient. Parking is kinda painful as well.
(4)Anne C.
This place is smaller than the Centreville one but has been here the longest and it is the most packed! you won't walk in without seeing someone you know! they also have a bigger selection of pastries, etc. I have to say though that this shilla is definitely more "korean oriented" but that's cuz it's in annandale!! hahaa In centreville, i definitely see tons off different ethnicities walking in and out of the place so it makes me happy to see everyone trying new things. Their bingsoo (especially coffee bingsoo to go!) is delicious and their yogurt icecream as well. Their coffees ehhh, but their cakes are good too! overall= yay
(4)Chenney C.
I drove 20 minutes out of my way to experience Shilla Korea Bakery. Taking me to an Asian bakery is like taking a drug addict to a meth lab. After the twitching ended, and I spent over $50 in bread and bubble tea - I was in heaven! Of course while my girlfriend stared at me in shock at how much bread I purchased, I lied and told her it was partially for my family when I had really planned on trying it all here and there on our way back to Cincinnati. First off, taro bubble tea- WIN. It was nicely flavored, not too sweet and had a nice milk tea texture. Now, the bread shared a similar story. The red bean filled were excellent , as was the yellow custard pastries. I wasn't a huge fan of their Japanese style bread because it lacked flavor and was not very soft. All in all - next time I'm in D.C. area, Shilla will see me spend another $50.00 on everything again!
(3)Joe C.
We liked the bing soo here better than at Breeze. Plus, the fruit in the bing soo was fresh. Also, the samples were amazing.
(4)Alex H.
I've been to Shilla probably 6 times and am just getting around to writing my first review. There is no real reason for the wait. I guess I was hoping that the few things that bothered me before were just coincidental and would not reoccur. I guess I was way too optimistic. Shilla gets three stars primarily for its service. The baked goods, in my opinion, are nicely done; I will continue to shop there on the few occasions I'm in the area. I hope, however, that someone at Shilla reads this and other reviews and do a little OJT (On the Job Training) of their employees. First, smile and greet your customers. When you arrive at the register, there is rarely a smile, a hello, or a thank you. They expect for you to read the amount you need to pay - they rarely say, "That'll be $10.14, please." They expect you to read it yourself, pay, and beg if you want your receipt. Second, when there are customers in the store and you need to restock the shelves, please allow them to continue their shopping unfettered. Instead, they say, "excuse me", and step in front of you to do their work. All the while, you cannot get to the goods and have to wait for them to finish. It should be the other way around, shouldn't it? Another employee who had finished her restocking, blocked another section with the bread trolley. Can you move out of the way, please? Finally, there has to be a better system for delivering ordered products to the tables. If you order a coffee drink, a bingsoo, or the like, you are expected to grab a seat and listen intently for them to yell out your order. "FROZEN YOGURT WITH STRAWBERRIES!" If you happen to miss that, which is easy to do, your frozen treat sits out in the open and begins to melt. Others walk past it, breath on it, and could pick fruit off of it if they liked. Not only that, it's sitting at the same place where people are supposed to return their dirty plates. That has got to be a health code violation of some kind. It takes an additional 10 seconds and 20 paces to delivery the goods to the tables. If you never look up to greet your customers, though, are you expected to know their faces and deliver the goods to the right table? I guess not. Shilla is a dynamite bakery, but needs to take a closer look at the way it treats its customers.
(3)Mark S.
Got Red Bean bingsoo and mango boba drink today.. Red bean bingsoo was good. lots of shaved ice.. lots of fresh fruit. very delicious. however, i still prefer the Le Matin de Paris' Paris Bingsoo (it's bigger and has frozen yogurt). The mango boba bubble tea was really good. it was almost like a mango smoothie. wasn't milky, yet wasnt juice. very good. bingsoo was $650 boba was $450. a bit pricey for the boba.. but definitely one of the better types of boba/bubble tea that i've had. the place has a lot of seats and was pretty crowded.
(4)Cathy B.
I went in by myself. It was really overwhelming! It was packed at 8PM on a Sunday. No free tables. I got the green tea bing soo to go. I loved it! However, it's really expensive--$7.30!! I mean, wow. It's definitely a big dessert meant to be split by two people--the size and the cost. There's shaved ice, green tea ice cream, red beans, mochi, and syrup. I thought the customer service was great. They made a point to ask how far out I was driving for my to go order to make sure the ice cream would survive.
(5)Jihyun K.
It used to be the hot spot when I was in high school.. Now, I'm not so sure. The tables are constantly sticky, as well as the floor, and the employees behind the counter have treated me with disdain many times. I speak fluent Korean, but I opted to speak English on my recent visit. Lo and behold, no smiles, no courteous greeting, no offers of assistance. A sharp "Are you ready?" and a glance was all I got. When my drink came out, they didn't even bother to announce it but just set it on the counter. If I hadn't been watching, it would have been neglected and left a sad, melted mess. The conclusion? Speak you some Korean and don't mind someone's sticky bingsoo on your table.
(2)Amanda M.
illy coffee. Yum. bubble tea. Yum. bingsoo. Yum. It has a huge selection of desserts and other sweets so you can find something that you like!
(4)Tu-van L.
Not the ghetto Asian bakery - the decor isn't that much different than your local Starbucks. Plenty of seating and chairs suitable for large groups. I like sampling the different pastries offered with the free samples before making a purchasing commitment. The baked goods and the desserts I got to sample are pretty good - light and not too sugary sweet and satisfying enough to satiate my after-dinner sweet tooth. I finally experienced the infamous bingsoo for the first time. Yes the pile of shaven ice, syrup, and (fresh) fruit makes for an impressively large mound (larger if you get the larger bowl with frozen yogurt), but the sugary, milky soupy mess that results over time makes it less appetizing. Adding the frozen yogurt might sustain the frozen dessertness of bingsoo, but honestly i don't see the big deal about it. At least the frozen yogurt is satisfying. A little overpriced and the toppings are sparing yet fresh but it does the job. Closer to the other froyo places in DC and the desserts are good enough for my sweet fix any night.
(3)Xinyi T.
I love Shilla! I go to Shilla like 2 3 times a week and it's not even that close to me. I love their free samples. i love trying the cakes before i purchasing. i love their pretty cakes and binsoo. their tiramisu is amazing! i really hope they make wedding cakes because i want my wedding cake to be from shilla. I really wish Shilla have better bubble tea though. They have a pretty good selection but I like the bubble tea places in Rockville way better.
(4)Gina K.
I usually stop by here after dining at one of the many Korean restaurants that are available in Annandale. Yes, the service is not amazing and it gets too crowded at times but their baked goods, bingsoo, and bubble teas are really good! Reminds me of the bakeries back in Korea.
(4)Esther Y.
i'm from new york.. and i drink lots of iced coffee. starbucks caramel macciato: $4.50 - $5.00? understandable because a shot of espresso goes in it. but $4.50 for AN ICED COFFEE? get the fuck outta here!!! i bought 3 pastries for FOUR dollars!!! how are you going to tell me that the iced coffee is 50 cents more expensive than 3 pastries? FAIL
(1)Laura W.
I have never before been to a Korean bakery so I have no basis for comparison, but I can say that I found everything delicious. I was a little overwhelmed when I first walked in -- so many items, so many samples, so many people! Unlike another reviewer, I found the samples plentiful and a reasonable size (I mean, come on, it's a SAMPLE. It's not supposed to be huge. The want you to taste their stuff and then BUY something, not fill up and samples and go home. And there are plenty of them.) and the staff to be very friendly. I bought a coffee bun and two creme buns (almond and mocha cream) and the woman working the cashier insisted I take a complementary butter cream bun as well. I've since eaten all of them and liked each one, though the mocha and butter cream buns were so sweet I really need to eat them a half at a time. (The coffee bun was my favourite.) I also bought a delicious looking loaf of breakfast bread that we haven't cut into yet. The other reason I popped in was to see if they had sandwiches, which they do, and I got a couple to go. My boyfriend loved the vegetarian panino -- stuffed full of veg, including artichoke hearts and eggplant. It was fine looking sandwich; better than a lot of vegetarian ones I've seen other places. I had a chicken panino with roasted red pepper, spinach, and other veg. Also very yummy. We live very close and it's nice to know there's a good place to grab a tasty sandwich within walking distance. (Prices were very reasonable too, especially since the sandwiches came with chips and a pickle. I think I spent about $30 or so all total, with lunch and breads/buns.) I can't comment on the bing soo, as I didn't order any and have no experience with it anyway, but they sounded yummy on the menu and I look forward to trying it when I'm there next; as I'll definitely be back.
(4)JEWELe M.
My grad school roommate took me here after I introduced her to KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) @ Bon Chon. Great little Korean bakery! It reminds me of K-town in L.A. Fresh bread and confectionery! I enjoyed the samples too....they helped me decide what to bring back home! iWant to definitely come back and try the macarons, sandwiches, & other breads! The green mung bean bread and breakfast cake we got were delicious!
(4)R D.
This place is awesome! A definite must-visit for anyone who loves delicious treats, cakes, pastries, and coffees! Both times I've visited they had cut up samples of each pastry/bread/etc they offered. Nice! I love samples! I only bought a coffee the first visit, but it was delicious. Second visit I had a beef burrito and it was ok, but nothing to write home about. As it's a bakery.. I'd probably stick to the bakery items. Just a suggestion. I mean, you don't go to IHOP with the intention of ordering the best steak you've ever had -- if you did, it'd be called IHOS. I digress.. Visit! It's yummy!
(4)Jenny T.
I always go here whenever I feel my sweet-tooth aching ! their sweets are always reasonably priced and I love trying the new stuff they have to offer. For example, they just came out with "melon bread" and it was delicious :) The only reason why I don't give 5 stars is because the the customer service is never uniform. One day everyone will be all smiles and super friendly but another day they could be very brusque.
(4)Tiffie L.
After lunch at Bon Chon Chicken, my friends and I wanted a place to play some cards and just hang out. Shilla was down the street and I was excited to go to this little Korean bakery I had heard so much about. When I walked in, my eyes lit up at the many choices of cakes and bread! And there were SAMPLES! At first, I thought it was just for the pineapple cake at the front, but as I browsed, there were samples for almost 7 or 8 of their baked goods and I gladly enjoyed a small bite of several. Each one was delicious and I was tempted to buy everything in the store. The prices were a bit more expensive than I am used to as someone who frequents Taiwanese bakeries. Regardless, the cakes cater to an Asian palate as they are not too sweet and they have flavors such as Red Bean and Green Bean. I also bought a small Americano, which was really good. I'm not sure if they sell Illy coffee, although that was the label on the cups. I was a little disappointed by their "Boba" selection which were all slushies. Again, though, I am not sure that I should have expected a Korean bakery to have the type of boba I am used to. But for someone stuck in Washington D.C. where there is a great lack of good Asian food and treats, I was grateful for my friends with cars who could take me out somewhere like Shilla for the afternoon! There is plenty of seating and we were able to grab a table for 7 of us for over an hour.
(4)E S.
I like to pop in here and get a couple of sweet pastries if I know I will have company for tea later in the day. I've picked up some savory pastries too, there is a deepfried looking one with potato inside that is fantastic. I've tried their bingsoo, it's pretty good, portions are huge. Most of the time I take my pastries and run home.
(4)E G.
Amazing Bakery! Kim chi bulgogi pizza! Macarons (chocolate was considerably better than the pistachio). Various filled breads and pastries and a kick ass sandwich selection. Sandwhiches: I had The Ester panini that includes smoked turkey, artichoke hearts, fresh mozzarella..pretty major sandwhich for a 'bakery'. Has become compulsory for me now everytime i visit.. Breads: Huge and varied selection of breads and their flavor filled cousins; 'the bun' (from mochi to red bean to mocha to 'cream' and then some..they have it all). Sweets: On the sweets side i really like their flaky almond stick cookie. Quite addictive. Also not to be missed are their boba teas. As popular as Boba is now the real thing that sets shilla head and should above the rest is their large selection (from green apple to taro to caramel mocha) and a quality ingredients, while im sure most of the fruit flavors are syrups the chocolate flavor boba arrived with nice shaved bits of chocolate. FIgure out your favorite flavor (some were a bit too sweet for me, such as the chocolate but the coconut was spot on and the green apple made me remark 'wow that's good') Check it out..you cannot regret it.
(4)Alannah A.
I'm all about the red bean bingsoo and the pistachio macaroons. They also have pretty good bubble tea. This is one of my guilty pleasures for sure
(5)Esther K.
Got married June 29th, 2013. Lovely and very tasty wedding cake! No complaints about the price either.
(5)Helen C.
Great prices and amazing-looking cakes. The mocha cream-filled buns are only $0.95. Definitely coming back here.
(5)Su Jin K.
Pros: tons of free samples of nearly every kind of pastry; large variety of desserts (froyo and paht-bing-soo (red bean shaved ice with sweetened rice cake, fruits, and froyo as additional options)) and Korean drinks, and Illy coffee. If you buy a lot of stuff, the cashier will sometimes throw in a few pastries for free. The $7 paht-bing-soo comes in portions for 2+ people, so don't try to finish one on your own (price should let you know you'll be getting a lot)! I don't have discriminating tastes for froyo, but I like the tanginess of it here, and it isn't terribly expensive (under $4 with 1 free topping). Cons: the quality of the pastries and cakes can vary widely. Never get the go-goo-ma cake (sweet potato cake)! It is dry and too heavy on the potato with not enough cream, so it doesn't taste like a dessert (but do get the loaves of bread that are perfect for toast or any of the pastries with cream fillings -- light and sweet without the "Ugh, I'll never do that again" feeling afterwards). Depending on when you go, it can be a madhouse. On busy weekends or nights, it is a pain to park in the small lot, so I usually park in the larger lot behind the cafe. It's also a random hodgepodge of people who come here, because there aren't a lot of comparable places. So, you'll have college students, young adults, parents with young children, Korean ahjummas, older families, and of course, the notorious Korean high school students/dropouts//wannabe gangsters who love to be loud and obnoxious. Add them all together and you get...a zoo.
(3)Agnes C.
This place has great breads, bing soo, cakes & everything you can find in there...I go there at least once a week. So why did I only give them three stars? Because their customer service sucks most of the time. Ps. The bubble drinks are good, but waaaayyyyy over priced!
(3)Lor B.
They need to have something like this in Seattle. This place is amazing. After gorgin on a ton of Korean BBQ - we somehow still had some room to sample this amazing little bakery. They have a ton of little pastries and cakes to choose from -- they serve Illy coffee, which is fabulous! - They have homemade yogurt ice cream and this really crazy dessert called Bing Soo - which is basically an icecream, shaved ice sundae - this thing is GIGANTIC so only order one to share with 3 others. This place is seriously good. I sooo wish I had a "K town" where I live...
(4)Tom N.
My absolute favorite cake is the Korean cream cake at Shilla. It's a moist and fluffy sponge cake with whipped cream icing. Sliced fresh strawberries, kiwi, and various fruit layer the middle and cover the top. It tastes light and refreshing, and presents beautifully out of the box. I also love the almond butter cream pastries and bubble tea. The many bing soo flavors come with tons of fruit. There is never a lack of selection, and this Shilla Bakery is usually open until 11pm.
(5)Chef A.
I had a green tea bubble tea here with friends the other day and really liked it. They had free bread laying all over the place, and it was uber crowed. It was pretty cool. There's all sorts of kick ass people here too. But beware of the guy dressed in the batman costume. I hear he is a regular and likes to talk about Star Wars to local patrons. Only downside to the place is that I hate the parking. It's like trying to park a truck in a compact car spot, that's how tight parking is here.
(4)Abby C.
Food/Cost: (3.25/5) After getting the Green Tea Bingsoo (~$7) to split with 4 other friends, I did some pastry shopping here and walked away with about $11 worth of assorted goodies. I'll start with the Bingsoo, which is shaved ice. I've gotten plenty of shaved ice in California, and the one here was not the best I've had, but I still loved it! There was two large scoops of green tea ice cream, a good amount of red bean, and yummy green tea syrup over the ice part. My only complaint would be that Shilla's was a bit skimpy on the mochi. I would definitely recommend sharing these small mountains of cold goodness with 1 or 2 other people as you get a decently large portion per order. As for the breads and pastries: again, I go to Asian bakeries all the time in California, so the pastries here weren't the best I've had, but they were still really, very good. I got -- in the order of preference -- the Sweet Potato bread ($2.50), Bulgogi & Kimchi Pizza ($3.95), Red Bean bread ($1.50), Pork Croquette ($1.75), and Almond Cream bread ($0.95). They were all delicious. I particularly appreciate Shilla's super generous amount of fillings in each and every bread. I hate it when bakeries are stingy with their fillings. In fact, I would say that the filling to bread ratio here is the best I've encountered in a long time, even beating out my favorite bakeries in California. Ambiance: (3/5) When you enter Shilla Bakery, you are greeted with the large pastry selection, cake counter, and ordering area; upon continuing left you arrive at an adequately large seating area. The patrons vary from teenagers hanging out and playing card games to families out with the children. I was greeted with happy vibe when I entered the Bakery -- probably because everyone was enjoying their drinks, bingsoos, or other sweets :) The decor is cheerful as well with striped and patterned chairs. Still, the decor wasn't very impressive and the transition from cafe/bakery to seating area felt strangely abrupt and disjointed. The bakery area was extremely cramped; between people perusing the pastry selection, the ordering line, and people standing around while waiting for their orders, there was barely space to breathe, let alone move. However these issues can be overlooked and Shilla still gets an A-OK rating for its happy ambiance. Location: (3/5) Shilla Bakery is situated in a shopping center with plenty other restaurants and stores. Accordingly, it has its own parking lot, which is helpful. Though we had no problem finding a sparking space, parking here seems limited and may be a problem during peak times. Service: (3/5) If you order any drinks or desserts, you'll place your order and wait for your buzzer to go off. They fill orders quite quickly, so you won't have to wait long. Though the speed of service is satisfactory, other aspects of the service here need a little bit of improvement. First, they need to restock the baskets faster. I saw plenty of pastries wrapped and ready to go, but they remained on the top of the shelves. In addition, they're a bit sloppy with receipts here. My party got the wrong receipt for our Bingsoo and my cashier struggled a bit to give me my receipt for the pastries. Overall: (3.5/5) In terms of Asian pastries available in the DC/MD/VA area, I would recommend going to Shilla Bakery. The prices are quite cheap for what you get and the items here were all yummy eats. A pretty solid dessert and pastry destination.
(3)Chow N.
I"m not a big fan of Korean baked goods. Way too sweet, and dry. I tried this place once and don't feel a need to come back. Does anyone know what's uniquely Korean about their baked goods anyway?
(2)Geee P.
I'm from Houston, Texas. Where everything is bigger (and better even when it comes to food in my humble opinion). Food is so good and inexpensive here in TX. When I travel, it's hard not be critical. So that's why you should always trust my reviews. I kid. I wanted to try the Fruity BING SOO, but I didn't really like it. It had a mixture of cocktail fruit from the can and some fresh fruit. uM no. I want ALL FRESH FRUIT... and the good kind too... like: RIPE MANGO. No mango here. Just cocktail fruit, sour strawberry and watery tasting melons. Well it had some fresh KIWI. That's probably the only thing I liked. It had fresh bananas too, but I don't really care for bananas. ICE- it's rather chunky & rocky and melted fast... our dessert turned soupy quick. Maybe it's suppose to be like that? I think it was bc the dessert was in a glass bold too. (Styrofoam bowls would be better) I know you might think wth are you talking about? Shaved ice is shaved ice! I like the ice to be shaved super fine with a smooth texture...It doesn't melt as fast for some reason. it makes a big difference! Trust. I think the Fruity BING SO was ok. Didn't hit the spot like JUICEBOX in Houston. It's light though... so it might be your cup of tea. I will come back however to try other items.
(3)Mikkela T.
Free samples of white crack carbohydrate. Free samples of crack carb shmeared with sweetened whip cream butta. Free samples of caramel color carbs baked into fun shapes. Cracked carbs with filled cracks... drool. The breads here are sweet-get-me-off-the-tram-now-hawt-diggety-dawg-Âcan-I-shove-another-sample-in-me! Grab a wooden basket (how natural!) and pile in the pastel colored breads and cakes. Order a "bingsoo" and find out that it's shaved ice with condensed milk, fruit and "mochi" or chewy rice cake marshmallowy things. Enjoy watching the crowds of young Korean Americans and blended international families coffeeshop it up! Sure, it's crowded. If the tables were closer together, they'd be "bunk" style. And the last time I was in Shilla Bakery, the sign on the toilet door said, "chocolate froyo flavor" which brings out the seven-year-old toilet humorist in me. This place is ubiquitous on the "Mikkela Tour of Koreatown, Northern Virginia." Always come here for free samples. Even if it makes you kind of dizzy.
(4)Na L.
This place is definitely a good place to hang out or meet up with friends for a cup of tea and share a pastry. They also have Bubble Teas and Korean ice creams. I will definitely try their ice creams next time after Honey Pig. Another good thing about this place is the many samples throughout the store that you can try if you have never been there. So don't think about it. The next time you are in Annandale, just stop by there and check it out for yourself!
(5)Ameera C.
Not bad I love their baked goods! But their bing soo...well I have had better.
(3)Tao Tao W.
i def like the shaved ice here more. It's cheap for the amount that you get. Two to three people could share one. It's full of flavor and is a nice mix of shaved ice, ice cream, and fruit. It is not overwhelming with an extreme amount of fruit. The only thing is that it gets really busy on friday and saturday nights so seats are hard to find.
(5)Martin H.
This place is great. Loaded up on free samples. Haha.
(4)C R.
Shilla is awesome! I've tried lots of their fruity bobas and they usually don't disappoint. The boba is chewy too. I go almost every week. I wish it were slightly cheaper though, then I would give it 5 stars. An added feature is that they sell Asian bakery foods too, which is nice. Haven't taken advantage of that too often.
(4)Paul W.
Busy and bustling atmoshpere, the place delivers everythin you might want from a Korean bakery and cafe. Everything, except parking and seating. Even so I give this place 4 stars. As far as food goes, the secret to good quality in places like these is high turnaround. The faster the food gets sold, the better the chances you're getting something fresh. And this place certainly has high turnaround. I also attribute their relatively reasonable prices to this as well. Stick with the baked goods, bingsoos, and yougurts. Coffee here is watered down as in most Korean cafes, the bubble teas are frozen, and almost all the cakes are butter cream.
(4)Jess T.
Pros: I like this bakery. There are so many options for sweet and savory baked goods, and they offer plenty of free samples. Cons: The bubble tea is expensive at $5, and I don't like how it's slushy consistency. I realize that's common, but I like actual liquid bubble tea with ice cubes. Sadly, that kind is hard to find around here. Also, I tried a macaroon and it had margarine in the middle. Not good. I was also not the biggest fan of the chicken sandwich. Still, for the desserts and fun experience and crowd, I often frequent this bakery.
(3)Brendon G.
Ok I think Shilla has improved in several ways (or in some cases I've expanded my target list): 1 the coffee is really good 2 frozen yogurt desserts very nice 3 sweet bakery items better than I recall
(4)Micah P.
Go on a Sunday! Samples! It will make you want to buy the cakes! Cream Cheese Pound Cake - delicious! The cream cheese area is like a special surprise. Mocha Roll - Super delicious taste throughout. I especially like the mocha cream in the middle. Also, cakes are pretty cheap! Not too expensive. I should really write this review after trying their boba or bing soo... so hopefully in the next month I'll be back to update. Believe me, I will be a BIG critic to their boba (there's a place I like somewhere else, so it will be hard to please me).. but I can't say much since I haven't had Shilla's yet!
(4)Christine N.
I've been coming here for a few years now and It seems as though there efforts into there bingsoo has gone downhill. The bowls use to be bigger, with more fruits, syrups, icecream, mochis etc. but the past few times I've had them, it's been smaller, more icy, and less flavorful compared to how it use to taste. It just isn't as filling as it use to be. There breads and bake goods are still fantastic though.
(3)