3 Must-Try Koreatown Restaurants

Start your BA Barrio Coreano journey with these home-cooked gems.

It started with whispers—rumors of secret restaurants serving spicy food, hidden in far-off neighborhoods, the kind people claimed you could only enter if you knew someone. So you’d make it your mission to find that someone—the golden ticket who could get you in. You’d hop into a Radio taxi, rattling off unfamiliar streets, leaving behind the polished comforts of your Palermo bubble. With a mix of excitement and curiosity, you’d cross Rivadavia into another stratosphere.

When you arrived, there were no signs. No name. Just an ordinary door on a quiet residential street—the type you’d pass without a second glance, unless you knew it was there (though chances are, you’d never pass it at all). You’d knock, unsure if you had the right place, until the door creaked open and the smell hit you: garlic, sesame oil, the faint sting of gochugaru. That’s when you knew—you’d found it.

A closed-door Korean restaurant in Barrio Coreano.

They’d look at you with a mix of quiet appraisal and faint suspicion, as if to say, Are you sure you’re in the right place? Then, just as doubt settled in, your friendly golden ticket would appear, ushering you inside—into the hidden heart of Barrio Coreano.

Koreatown in Buenos Aires was never about exclusivity. It was about acceptance. Back then, most Korean restaurants weren’t restaurants in the traditional sense—they were family homes, serving their own community behind unmarked doors. It was a time when the average Argentine palate could barely handle black pepper, let alone the deep heat of gochujang. I remember speaking with kids of first-generation Koreans, who told me their parents didn’t think Argentines would enjoy their food. Language barriers didn’t help, and so these spaces remained private, hidden in plain sight.

Today, while many of these restaurants are still in family homes, things have changed. Over time, a second generation of Korean-Argentines began to bridge the gap. They grew up speaking Spanish, attending Argentine schools, and living between cultures—where asado sits comfortably next to kimchi and rice on the same table. Now, those second-gen kids are grown, some running restaurants of their own, for a city that’s finally opened its mind, appetite, and gastronomic horizons. And Buenos Aires is better for it.

The Two Koreatowns

You can see it not just in the food, but in the neighborhoods themselves. Buenos Aires has not one, but two Koreatowns. The original, often referred to as Bajo Flores (or as I like to call it 'Barrio Coreano viejo'), is nestled along Carabobo avenue in Flores, where many first-generation Korean immigrants settled and where closed-door family-run restaurants first took root. Then there’s the newer Koreatown, located in the bustling garment district near Nazca and Avellaneda, straddling the border between Flores and Floresta, with a growing number of restaurants popping up beyond the traditional boundaries and fare.

Asado con Kimchi y Arroz

If you asked me my favorite cuisine brought by immigrants to Argentina—between Syrian, Peruvian, Armenian, Chinese, and Japanese—Korean would be high on that list. It’s one of the few that hasn’t toned down its boldness to cater to the local palate. And really, it makes perfect sense that Buenos Aires would have some of the best Korean food outside of Seoul.

Okay, sure—I’ve never actually been to Korea, but I’ve eaten at great Korean restaurants in cities with large Korean communities, so I have some kind of benchmark. And from what I’ve tasted, Buenos Aires holds its own.

Take Argentina’s world-class beef, add a deeply rooted Korean community, and you get something special: marinated short ribs in garlic and spices, served alongside bowls of rice, kimchi, and banchan. The flavors are different, but the connection runs deeper than just the love for meat—Korean and Argentine food cultures share an unspoken kinship. Both revolve around communal tables, open flames, abundant spreads, and meals that aren’t rushed.

Mul-naengmyeon, noodles in cold broth, perfect for a hot day.

And it’s not just about meat sizzling on a grill. Korean kitchens in Flores and Floresta specialize in homestyle comfort food—bold, hearty dishes like bubbling pots of kimchi jjigae (spicy kimchi stew), steaming bowls of sundubu-jjigae (silky tofu stew), and in the summer, icy cold mul-naengmyeon noodle soup. These meals are meant to nourish, to connect, and to remind you that the best food is often standing behind doors you almost walked past.

Where to Eat

So, if you’re ready to explore, here are three spots serving the kind of home-cooked Korean comfort foods that make me want to take a staycation in Barrio Coreano.

1. Sandulchan (a.k.a. Casita Azul)

📍 Pje. Valle 12, Flores

The Vibe: The first time I went to Sandulchan was nearly a decade ago, and it was one of those meals that quietly rewired my brain. Past a nondescript blue gate at the end of a dead-end passageway, Sandulchan feels less like a restaurant and more like a family dining room you’ve just been invited into. Mamá Moon runs the kitchen, turning out deeply comforting Korean food that has made this place a word-of-mouth institution for years. Her son, Samuel, works the front, guiding diners through the menu with the ease of someone who knows exactly what’s good. Sandulchan is open Monday thru Saturday for lunch (12pm - 3pm) only.

What to Order:

• Sundubu Jjigae: A bubbling, fiery tofu stew.

• Yukgaejang: Slow-cooked beef soup with chili and garlic—rich, restorative, and one of those dishes that lingers in your mind for days.

• Galbi-Jjim: Braised short ribs, fall-apart tender, slow-cooked in soy, garlic, and sugar until the meat barely clings to the bone.

• Bulgogi: If you’re bringing someone afraid of spice, this is their move—thinly sliced grilled beef, caramelized and tender, served with rice and banchan.

2. Una Canción Coreana

📍 Av. Carabobo 1549, Flores

The Vibe: If you're new to Korean food—or trying to ease someone into it—Una Canción Coreana is the perfect place to start. Located in Old Koreatown on Carabobo, it’s welcoming and approachable, seamlessly blending traditional Korean dishes with Argentine tastes. It’s also one of the few spots in Koreatown where vegetarians and vegans won’t have to settle for just rice and banchan.

Founded by An Ra Chung and her family, Una Canción Coreana has been a gateway to Korean cuisine in Buenos Aires, helping introduce it beyond its own community. The restaurant even became the subject of the documentary Una Canción Coreana, which explores the Korean immigrant experience in Argentina through food. A true Barrio Coreano classic, specializing in culinary diplomacy.

What to Order:

• Bulgogui Cheyuk Bokum “Ban Ban”: Half beef, half spicy pork.

• Bibimbap: Rice, veggies, mushrooms. The classic “mix mix” dish.

• Mandu: Korean dumplings filled with juicy pork or kimchi, either steamed or pan-fried.

• Tokpokki: Rice cakes with spicy sauce.

• Japche con carne: Stir-fried sweet potato noodles with beef and veggies.

• You can see the entire menu (with prices) here.

  

3. Ku:l

📍 Carabobo 1107, Flores

The Vibe: KU:L is where you go when you want real Korean food—no shortcuts, no frills, no softening the flavors. A bare-bones hole-in-the-wall in Flores, it’s a favorite among the local Korean community but open to anyone ready to embrace the experience. The menu leans heavily on hearty soups and stews, served in generous portions meant for sharing. Like many spots in the neighborhood, they open early (5 p.m.), so it’s best to go on the earlier side. KU:L doesn’t adjust for outsiders—it just does what it does. And that’s exactly what makes it worth seeking out.

What to Order:

• Gamja Tang – Spicy pork bone soup with vegetables.

• Kimchi Jeon – Savory kimchi pancake, crisp on the edges, chewy inside.

• Jeyuk Bokkeum – Stir-fried pork in a spicy, gochujang-based sauce.

• Korean Fried Chicken – Light, crispy, and coated in a sticky, sweet-spicy glaze.

*Stay tuned for my favorite Korean BBQ spots in Buenos Aires, plus the full Barrio Coreano guide I’ve been working on for way too long. And as always, if you’ve got intel, be our golden ticket and share with the class.

PS: And thank you to Gastro Corea for making such wonderful videos about Korean food in Buenos Aires.