Casa El Ramal — Restaurant in Medellín

I have never left a negative google review before, but I think it’s warranted… I think there must have been some extenuating circumstances tonight, but our experience was hilarious. Ultimately amazing food, but a horrific experience.

I arrived with my family (table of 4) just before 7pm, very excited as we’d heard so much about this place!! Our waiter first forgot our silverware, then brought the wrong cocktails. That’s alright! We placed our order and waited about 45 minutes for our appetizers. They were honestly phenomenal, and we were happy to eat amazing food even if it was taking a while. A full hour later (8:45 ish) we were getting a bit hungry when our waiter came back and asked us to remind him what we’d ordered…. We chalked it up to a forgetful waiter who maybe was having an off day. At 9:30, he assured us 3 more minutes. At 9:50, he said one more minute. By 10:15, two other parties who’d also been there for 3+ hours unserved all got up and simply left. Us and another party asked what was going on, and they gave us no information other than “there was some confusion in the kitchen”. No snacks were offered, no communication on when or if any of the 4-5 concerned tables would get their food, no communication on if they had the materials for our meals or what was happening. It was not a full house… I truly can’t imagine what situation could result in taking one hour to realize they didn’t have our orders, and then another hour and a half to still not complete them…. The waiters did not try to reassure or convince the parties as they left not to— simply let them walk out and smiled.

Would have been absolutely happy to continue waiting if we could have had any transparency on if we would be receiving any food, and I’m sorry for the kitchen as I’m sure they were extremely stressed by whatever happened, but it was hilarious. I mean, 3 and a half hours and no food and no communication…. We also ultimately left, unfortunately. Truly it was so sad. I was so excited for this meal…

You can’t always assure things go smoothly in the kitchen, but any professional establishment owes clients the bare minimum communication and respect. It was bizarre and ultimately really disappointing and disheartening. Truly really saddened that we and so many others had such a frustrating and disappointing experience tonight, and hoping they have a phenomenal excuse as to why on earth tonight was such a...

Last week I read the good reviews of this restaurant and looked at the menu. I decided to make a reservation for two on Saturday the 7th at 7pm. The reservation was confirmed by the restaurant through email.We took an uber and arrived at 6:45. A young woman at the door told us the restaurant was booked for a private event. I told her we had a confirmed reservation and offered to show her the email. She went off and returned with a manager. He said that there was nothing he could do. I again offered to show the email to him but he said that it was a mistake on their part and they had been having problems with their reservation system. There was no offer to try and find us a quiet corner away from the event or to make a future reservation to try to make it up to us. I told him that after this experience we were unlikely to return to the restaurant in the future but he just smiled and shrugged his shoulders in a gesture that showed he did not care. That left us wandering around Manila to find a restaurant without plans or another reservation. Obviously, we will not return to this restaurant. Friends and acquaintances visiting Medellin often request our recommendations and we will tell them to stay away from Casa Ramal and we will also tell local friends about this terrible experience. To add insult to injury at exactly 6:58 I received an email from the restaurant canceling our 7PM reservation without apology or explanation. It is not unusual for a restaurant to make an error with regard to a reservation. However, when this has occurred in the past, the restaurant always found a way to accommodate me and my dining companions. I have never before been treated this way and I hope to never again be treated this way. If you go to this restaurant, expect, indifferent and insulting customer service. My...

This was probably the most satisfying brunch I have ever had - frijoles accompanied by chicharron, rice, mince meat, fried egg, avocado & maduro (fried green banana), or otherwise known in Colombia as “olla popular” (the “popular Sunday brunch”). The frijoles were cooked to perfection, and when enjoyed together with the chicharon and the mince meat, one’s taste buds are uplifted to a whole new level of indulgence. If one is on the more ‘adventurous’ side (I was!) add a few drops of spicy sauce to the frijoles - the extra kick is worth it! The restaurant itself is a lovely old Colombian finca (country house), which has been renovated with care and attention to preserve the original qualities of the building. The rustic interior and exterior design makes the place warm and welcoming. There was even a dj playing an eclectic mix of salsa, funk and nostalgic sounds from the past. I came here with my friends and I will most definitely be...