Best Mexican Food in Gwangju? Try Ahorita!

Good Mexican food can be hard to come by in Korea.

However, more and more independent restaurants have been surfacing with their

own takes on Mexican cuisine.

We stumbled upon a new Mexican restaurant that recently popped up

in Dongmyeong-dong 동명동 in April.

Located between Cafe Velvet and Enough Steak, and with tangerine orange signage, Ahorita 아오리따 is quite hard to miss.

Of course, we absolutely love the rainbow palette displayed all over the restaurant.

The owner is a young woman who recently lived in Mexico and has created an amazing, unique menu. We were greeted by friendly staff and incredible smells coming from the kitchen. After trying the seasoned chips combined with the mildly sweet and tangy white onion sauce, we knew that this wasn't just another Korean take on Tex-Mex.

We came ready to guzzle down some margaritas, but were recommended

palomas, made with grapefruit and tequila. They were light and refreshing

and everything you'd want in a boozy summer drink.

We shared chicken quesadillas that were mildly cheesy and spicy,

but overall Yummy-As-Heck.

If it's your first time here, order the Los especiales de Ahorita. You'll be able to try the beef, chorizo, chicken, and cream shrimp with lots of sliced tortillas.

Bring a friend and decide which is your favorite! I loved the cream shrimp and went for the shrimp tacos upon my second visit.

It's difficult to find Mexican food seasoned with flavors outside the deep, dark realm of beef taco seasoning packets. That's why this restaurant is a breath of fresh air to Gwangju's foreign food scene. We hope that they only continue to thrive with support from the expat community. We know we will be back many times this summer.