Our Story
"We believe that happier people make better food. And the better the food, the happier we are."
Vatos started in 2011 in Itaewon, Seoul, opened by a group of Korean-Americans who grew up on Mexican food in Los Angeles and wanted to bring that same table to Korea. What came out of it wasn't a fusion experiment so much as something that felt obvious to them: kimchi carnitas fries, galbi tacos, spicy chicken quesadillas. Ko-Mex, made the way it tasted growing up.
In 2015, the team set its sights on Singapore, opening the first outlet at South Beach. Vatos Urban Kitchen has called City House in the Central Business District home since 2024, bringing the same food, the same drinks, and a cozy, softly lit space with Mexican skull murals on the wall. Today, Vatos Singapore is run day to day by our own team on the ground, alongside our sister concept, Urban Mix, at One Raffles Place.
Sid Kim / Co-Founder
Sid's first job at 14 was at a Mexican restaurant in Ventura, California, so it's fitting he's come full circle to the Mexican food scene. Born in Korea and raised in Southern California, Sid brings over 22 years of business experience and 15 years in food and beverage to Vatos. As one of its founders, he's helped open 11 restaurants across three countries, with a fourth underway, and moved to Singapore in 2015 to launch the Vatos Singapore outlet and lead the brand's global expansion. Along the way, he's built expertise across every phase of F&B: concept development, menu development, new outlet execution, product sourcing, interior design, kitchen architecture, finance, marketing, and investor relations.