Tierra Chapinero — Restaurant in Bogota, Capital District

Recommended by our hotel concierge, Tierra looked promising—an ambitious fusion menu full of flair. But ambition gave way to chaos. For $400, the meal relied more on spectacle than substance: flashing lights, DJ music, sparklers, and dry ice fog, while the food and service fell flat.

Seated at a corner table, we were greeted by our server. Oddly, an unopened bottle of wine sat waiting, without explanation—a pushy upsell (#1) without so much as a price or description. Seconds later, before we had menus, our server pitched us a Jack Daniel's or gin deal: “three for two.” Upsell #2. It felt more dive bar than fine dining.

When we finally got the cocktail menu (after asking twice), I ordered a gin drink that leaned too sweet and featured a gelatin cube that was rubbery and inedible. The flair—dry ice and all—couldn’t save it.

Our first dish, a tray of hormigas culonas (big-bottomed ants), arrived with no explanation. Bitter, earthy, and off-putting, they dulled our palates rather than awakening them.

The ceviche, made with corvina and overcooked shrimp, looked nice but lacked any brightness. The tigre de leche was flat, making the dish unmemorable.

The Caesar salad was warm—actually hot—like it had taken a dip in a steam tray. Soggy croutons, wilted lettuce, and a heavy mayo dressing made it inedible. And yet, no one asked why we didn’t eat it.

The gyoza arrived dry and crumbly, likely over-air-fried. The filling was solid—flavorful pork and shrimp—and the sauce it rested in was the highlight. Technique failed what could have been a standout dish.

The main course, listed as flank steak, turned out to be what looked and tasted like braised short rib—hearty, tender, and swimming in a decent sauce. But the heavy blanket of melted panela cheese made it feel like a beefy parm. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t remotely what we ordered.

Then came upsell #3: a pitcher of white sangria offered as we finished our entrée. We saw them everywhere and gave in. The show—wine, soda, fruit, dry ice, dramatic high pour—was great for photos. The drink itself? Slightly bland and $60. With no price mentioned, it felt like a trick.

Dessert was the restaurant’s signature “chocolate log.” Visually, it was clever—a log replica with chocolate, edible leaves, and flowers. But the inside was a soggy tres leches cake, a guava jelly that clashed, and a mislabeled “foam” that was really just a light sauce. The faux moss tasted as strange as it looked. Almost a visual triumph… almost.

Service was rushed. Our server promised fluent English, but never used it. He pressured us to order food within minutes of scanning the QR code—a laughable request given the sprawling 174-item menu. His recommendations felt scripted, not thoughtful.

In the end, Tierra looked the part: buzzing crowd, sleek decor, and a party atmosphere. But the food? Missed the mark. The service? Clumsy. The upsells? Constant. Maybe we picked six of the worst dishes out of 174. Still, at this price point, there’s no excuse.

Tierra wants to be unforgettable. It is—but for all the...

This restaurant is my new obsession! The food was excellent!

I loved waking through the open kitchen and seeing everything when walking in. The chefs all greeted me as I walked by and their attention to details, with the food, was noticable.

The menu selection is very large and it was actually very difficult to choose! It all sounded soo good. I asked the waitress and she helped with suggestions.

I started with the Mango and Passion Fruit with Ice Cream Ceviche. I have admit I was skeptical judging from the name but this was superb. It's a must try! The flavors were balanced with a great tropical vibe and the cold, creamy ice cream was an amazing complement to the sweet and traditionally acidic ceviche. WOW 😋

My second course was the Charcoal Octopus. The legs were well cooked and the flavor was good. I tend to prefer savory over sweet, so I enjoyed the cheese that cut through the sweetness of the plantain mash. A bit more of the greens or maybe the chili, to cut the sweetness, might be a nice touch. I also would have liked a little more of the crispy bits but I'm being a bit picky now. Overall the dish was good, but I will try the Roasted Octopus next time.

For my main I chose the Coconut Fish with Prawns. This was super yummy. The fish was cooked perfectly and the sauce it was served over paired well. It came with a separate bowl of veggies that was a nice addition. There was a great mix of vegetables and they were all delicious. I think they accidentally oversalted them but it was not objectionable. It kinda helped with the very rich fish dish. I didn't notice the "coconut" in the dish but I also didn't mind because it tasted great. Another top notch choice.

The food service was pretty good. I was at the table next to the kitchen so I got to watch things being prepared. The food was always delivered quickly and placed with the presentation side will displayed. However, it took quite a while to order, get the bill and pay. The waitress seemed very busy with other tables and I didn’t see her much. I had to take a napkin from the table next to me because there was no one I could ask.

I will DEFINITELY be eating here again and I strongly suggest you do as well. Welcome to your new favorite restaurant...

Spoiler alert: the review is detailed about the food, but one of the main concerns here is that kitchen workers do not use their face masks properly, this place is basically a Covid-19 distribution center.

It gets 1-star rating just because Google doesn't allow for 0-stars.

One of the worst dining experiences I've had in recent years. Food is just average in flavor and very small in size, but prices are exorbitant to say the least. Service is acceptable, but they make the experience a mess with all the discourse they have to say every time a dish arrives to the table. Let's just say that the place is completely full of itself, without any real reason to be.

I tried the "Burrata" as first dish, oh what an offense to everything Burrata means in traditional Italian cuisine. Here the cheese is Paipa (not mozzarella as it should be), open faced over some cream and a weird sauce that makes it simultaneously sweet and awfully salty.

Next I had the Tuna Gunkan, that one was probably the best part of the meal, and it was just fine. The Gunkan is, to describe it quickly, a piece of a just-rice sushi roll topped with your choice of protein, Tuna in spicy mayo in this case. Well, it tasted like a big spoon of mild spicy mayo, everything else was lost because of the unacceptable proportion of ingredients.

Third attempt was the "Taquitos de plátano verde con tartar de pescado blanco", White Fish Tartar on Green Plantain Tortilla. Let's just say it was like tasting a hard taco filled with pure salt.

Finally, the Gulupa Cheesecake as dessert, uneven in flavor and texture, although a very decent size (small, but a fair small for a late-night dessert), worth no more than half of the price charged for it.

This is definitely one of those places building a reputation on the wish for people to be fancy and far away from the quality a good restaurant...