Medellin Restaurant Reviews

[JjBee62]

This is a relatively new mall that's been built some time in the past 18 months. It's located on top of the Envigado Exito and HomeCenter and is supposed to be the largest in Colombia.

It's just a short walk, on a dedicated walkway, from the Envigado metro station and includes an IMax theater, small amusement park and a great selection of restaurants and bars.

[Mongo1]

Great place to eat. I was staying At the M last January and Parmesano's is right down the hill from there. They have a awesome Lasagna.

http://parmessano.com.co/

I just wish they were here in Bogota. Dollar for dollar, maybe my favorite restaurant in the world! For real. Mushroom soup, ceasar salad. Everything. And the prices couldn't be more reasonable. I always had great service. Wish I could go right now.

[QuackUp]

Here are some restaurants that I thought were pretty good. Most around the Laureles area. Voraz, a higher end restaurant. Good steaks and really good pork bbq ribs with homemade bbq sauce. Tr 39 B #74 B-41. This is the place I took the girl from casa de Piedra to and she loved it. Dejame Q Te Cuenta. Another good place for steaks and was close to the hotel. Cr 70 / Circular 2-47. Opera pizza. Italian food but I liked their thin crust pizza. My buddy and I wanted a light lunch so we split a pizza. Ca 42 #70-22. There were many other restaurant we tried but the ones above would be the ones I would go back to. Also, can't remember who posted it but he recommended Las Hermanas Paisas at Cir 4 east of 70. Unfortunately this restaurant is no more. We walked there from the hotel and nobody inside no grill on. There were a couple of guys next door at the tatoo shop and we asked if the restaurant will open later but they said the restaurant went out of business. They recommended a small cheap restaurant not far from there on Cr 70 but I totally forgot the name of the place. I really wanted to try Cafe Colombo Credenza but ran out of time.

[Ty Down]

I've never created a thread before but I'm giving it a shot since I've appreciated restaurant reviews on ArgentinaPrivate.

Thank you for creating this thread! Good info here.

[Questner]

Good insight. I really want to take someone to El Cielo. Do I simply ask the girl her estrato? Or is there a more subtle way to ask?

Thanka.

Even if this is a P4P site, I assume she is a civilian. Colored Medellin maps with corresponding city districts and their socio-economic position are widely available, just google them. You may ask her where her family and friends live, that is which area of the city and if she is from Medellin per se. Sometimes girls come from other cities and rent with other girls together. So she may rent in say, Laureles, which is estrato 5 by most, but still she does not belong to that level. Of course, if she agrees to come alone or bring along anyone with her is another story by itself. In my case, Colombianas on most occasions bring their family or friends, in which case you have to stay cool and firm and split the bill with Colombian men (the key word is 'colloborar), otherwise it would look stupid as they absolutely would take advantage of the rich paying gringo. Sorry for the truth. My experience on feeding Latinas in restaurants is negative, they don't appreciate it, leave food on the table, get sleepy afterwards etc. Better take them to a club and dance ('rumbear'.

[JjBee62]

Good insight. I really want to take someone to El Cielo. Do I simply ask the girl her estrato? Or is there a more subtle way to ask?

Thanka.

Chances are, she's estrato 3 or lower. Just ask what barrio she's from.

Nothing wrong with taking her out shopping. Plenty of cheap clothes in Mayorista and El Centro. Malls will be priced comparable to the US.

[BeverlyLa1234]

Here's the problem. Many girls show up looking like hookers. That's not as big of a problem as it sounds because I've seen office workers dressed like hookers. Short skirts, tight tops and cleavage are perfectly acceptable business attire.

However, in a nice restaurant, an actual hooker, dressed like a hooker, with an obvious gringo sticks out like a sore thumb. Meanwhile, a secretary, dressed the same, sitting with her 60 year old boss (who has his hand on her thigh) looks normal.

I always told the girls to dress conservatively. If I wanted to have lunch or dinner with them I'd meet at a casual bar so I could assess their clothing choice before deciding on a restaurant.

If you don't mind the cost, try El Botaniko, Carrera 33 #7-21.

Thanks. I don't mind buying the girl an affordable dress and heels. Thoughts on that? I personally like dressing them up. And I am sure the stores there aren't like Barney's New York or Nordstrom.

[JjBee62]

Hi guys,

I heard there are some great restaurants in Medellin. I really want to take a date to one of the places below. Will it be noticeable I am with a chica (will the girl know how to address appropriately)? Or should I try a less upscale place? Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

http://www.carmenmedellin.com/en/

http://www.elcielorestaurant.com

Here's the problem. Many girls show up looking like hookers. That's not as big of a problem as it sounds because I've seen office workers dressed like hookers. Short skirts, tight tops and cleavage are perfectly acceptable business attire.

However, in a nice restaurant, an actual hooker, dressed like a hooker, with an obvious gringo sticks out like a sore thumb. Meanwhile, a secretary, dressed the same, sitting with her 60 year old boss (who has his hand on her thigh) looks normal.

I always told the girls to dress conservatively. If I wanted to have lunch or dinner with them I'd meet at a casual bar so I could assess their clothing choice before deciding on a restaurant.

If you don't mind the cost, try El Botaniko, Carrera 33 #7-21.

[BeverlyLa1234]

Unfortunately, there is a class division, and Colombians don't mix well in the places they don't belong. You may start with a suggestion your girl picks the place, and then maybe you can upgrade next time. You have to know where she lives and to which social group (estrato) she belongs; after all you may have a great time together at a simple venue.

Good insight. I really want to take someone to El Cielo. Do I simply ask the girl her estrato? Or is there a more subtle way to ask?

Thanka.

[Questner]

Hi guys,

I heard there are some great restaurants in Medellin. I really want to take a date to one of the places below. Will it be noticeable I am with a chica (will the girl know how to address appropriately)? Or should I try a less upscale place? Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

http://www.carmenmedellin.com/en/

http://www.elcielorestaurant.com

Unfortunately, there is a class division, and Colombians don't mix well in the places they don't belong. You may start with a suggestion your girl picks the place, and then maybe you can upgrade next time. You have to know where she lives and to which social group (estrato) she belongs; after all you may have a great time together at a simple venue.

[Combo]

Hi guys,

I heard there are some great restaurants in Medellin. I really want to take a date to one of the places below. Will it be noticeable I am with a chica (will the girl know how to address appropriately)? Or should I try a less upscale place? Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

http://www.carmenmedellin.com/en/

http://www.elcielorestaurant.com

Not sure about "great" (Michelin-starred), but those two are about as good as it gets in MDE. I also really like OCI (O).

As far as attracting attention, there are lots of variables. Difference in age, how both of you are dressed, you Spanish ability, etc. If you are three times her age and wearing shorts and talking loud in English and if she looks like a hooker, yes you will stick our like a sore thumb. Personally I hate seeing this as it gives Gringo visitors a bad name, but it's a free world.

[BeverlyLa1234]

Hi guys,

I heard there are some great restaurants in Medellin. I really want to take a date to one of the places below. Will it be noticeable I am with a chica (will the girl know how to address appropriately)? Or should I try a less upscale place? Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

http://www.carmenmedellin.com/en/

http://www.elcielorestaurant.com

[Wolf662]

2nd that on Credenza, I think it blows Hacienda and Hatoviejo out of the water, and I like those 2!

Cafe Colombo Credenza.

Carrera 45 No 53-24.

10th Floor, Medellin -in Centro, nice romantic balcony seating on the 10th floor..

Just talked to Estrella, what she had that was so good there was:

"Morrillo tiernizado.

En salsa de setas: portobellos / championes / orellanas".

"Tenderized Morrillo in mushroom sauce: portobellos / mushrooms / orellanas." 32 k.

[Wolf662]

Restaurants I recommend, and if requested I can review them:
-Credenza (Centro)

I get the impression Hacienda and Hato Viejo are at the high end of preferences based on what I read in this thread.

2nd that on Credenza, I think it blows Hacienda and Hatoviejo out of the water, and I like those 2!

Cafe Colombo Credenza.

Carrera 45 No 53-24.

10th Floor, Medellin -in Centro, nice romantic balcony seating on the 10th floor.

+57 4 2516151.

http://www.credenzafoods.com/

Just took my FaseII sweetie Estrella there a few days ago, wow was it good, the clam thing she ordered was about the best thing I have ever tasted!

(Estrella was dressed like a little bear, I called her "Winne the Pooh" all night. LOL).

We ordered salads, appetizers, main course, desert, beer, beverages, pitcher of Sangria and the bill was still only about 150 k tip incld and 48 k of that was the enormous pitcher of red Sangria.

The 1st photo is a stock photo from their website of the inside seating, the others are mine.

[JjBee62]

Restaurants I recommend, and if requested I can review them:

-Mistura (any branch).

-Oci. Mde.

-La Causa (Provenza & Laureles).

-Credenza (Centro).

-Kabuki.

I am posting this out of surprise I don't see them mentioned in this thread. I get the impression Hacienda and Hato Viejo are at the high end of preferences based on what I read in this thread. I did see in Situ mentioned. That is more to my liking but I find the location a little inconvenient. La Provincia is pretty close to the gringo inn. I don't recommend it because it is much more form than substance and it's a pain in the neck to get a reservation there. It's not worth the effort in my opinion. There are worthwhile places around Lleras but they've been reviewed to death so I won't spend time on them here.

I'll toss in a few in Laureles.

Las Hermanas Paisas on Circular 4 just east of Carrera 70.

Fonda Bar El Reno on Circular 2 close to Avenida Bolivariana.

El Colmado Carrera 70, just a few blocks south of metro station Estadio.

All are reasonably priced comida topics.

Full Arabe on Circular 5 west of Carrera 70. Excellent Lebanese food.