Kōnā Corner

Kōnā Corner puts chef Narda Lepes and bartender Inés de los Santos on the same corner at Castañeda 1899 in Bajo Belgrano, and La Nación covered the opening as the neighborhood event it was. The 76 seat room blends traditional Japanese dishes with porteño product.

Time Out's Buenos Aires bar guide treats the sleek upstairs bar as a destination in itself, especially when the karaoke room opens. The Michelin Guide carries the restaurant in its selection.

The bar's claim to the city: the first omakase cocktail menu in Buenos Aires, a tasting menu in liquid form. Book the bar seats, not just the dining room.

Circuito Gastronómico documents the build: minimalist design, hidden lighting, and custom plateware considered down to the chopstick rest. The ground floor feeds, the upstairs bar performs, and the karaoke room turns the late shift social. It reads closer to Tokyo listening bar than Palermo party.

The standout is the Kiiro To Aka No Ume: Tanqueray gin, umeboshi, plum juice, rica rica syrup, Luxardo maraschino, and red furikake, per Time Out. The Ash follows with gin, shochu, sesame infused vermouth, and bamboo pickle. Trust the omakase format; ordering a generic spritz here wastes the address.

Early seatings are Bajo Belgrano families and Michelin list followers; the bar fills later with the city's cocktail crowd making the trip north from Palermo. Weekend karaoke flips the formality off switch after midnight. Restaurant Guru aggregates it at 4.2 across 388 reviews.

What regulars say:

• Time Out names the upstairs bar a destination in itself and singles out the ume cocktail.
• La Nación framed the opening as Narda Lepes and Inés de los Santos remaking Bajo Belgrano.
• Michelin Guide selection listing, with the bar program flagged in the entry.

Who it is for:

• Cocktail tasting menu curiosity, booked in advance
• A date night away from the Palermo circuit
• Avoid if you want a classic bodegón night; this corner is precise, not rowdy

The most interesting bar program north of Palermo and the only omakase cocktail seat in the city. Book the bar, not the table, and start with the ume.

Getting there: Castañeda 1899 in Bajo Belgrano, near the river side of the neighborhood. Twenty minutes by taxi from Palermo Soho.

Timing: Evenings Tuesday through Sunday. Book bar seats ahead; the karaoke room runs weekend late nights.

Cost: Cocktails ARS 9,000 to 14,000, the omakase flight around ARS 38,000. Cards accepted.