Carmen Medellín — Restaurant in Medellín

Saturday at 7pm - came here based on reviews (top 50 restaurants in Medellin in the last years ). The google reviews were mixed , I was a bit worried but In the end, it was a great choice .

Leading to the restaurant is a pathway full of greeneries , you’re welcomed into a beautiful space with high ceilings and well decorated space . It wasn’t as busy when we got there but was overflowing with people when we left .

We were seated right by the entrance , there are 3 of us and couldn’t have been the best place to people watch and enjoy an almost semi private room ( there are only a few tables by the front for smaller parties, table for 2 mostly ). The larger space in the back is well suited for groups .

We were attended by a friendly server Marlow who helped us navigate through the menu and making recommendations ( his favorite drinks and how much to order based on our hunger level ). We are in Medellin and as spanish is the official language , I appreciated his effort to communicate in English .

We shared 4 appetizers ( crab empanada , mushroom tartar, salad , ceviche )and a main dish ( chicken ) . All the dishes were tasty and served beautifully . The crab empanada was delicious accompanied with two sauces , the mushroom tartar was everyone’s favorite to eaten on top of a shrimp like cracker, the salad was refreshing and the ceviche my least favorite , needed a bit of salt to mute the acidity ) . After the appetizers and 2 drinks each , we didn’t think we had room for the chicken but we had to try and glad we ordered it, the juiciness and the flavor .. the mashed potatoes and vegetables were complementary . My friends decided to further get dessert ( panna cota ) and just like all the other dishes , didn’t disappoint .

Highly recommended to come here while in Medellin. They may not serve the traditional Colombian dishes but one can’t only have the local cuisine everyday . Carmen offers an intl menu and is a place to mingle with both tourists and...

Ok… I have a couple of issues here. This was my 3rd time in Medellin, I’ve never been able to get a reservation. My friend who owns a restaurant was able to book us a table on this visit. We arrived early and went to the bar for drinks. The bar was nice but I felt the bartenders were really trying to sell their specialty cocktails instead of what we really wanted. My friend almost vomited when they told her they put dead crunchy ants in her drink! When seated I noticed there was “Feliz Cumpleanos” confetti on the table. I made a joke, saying they probably didn’t realize we know what it means. Never was a birthday mentioned at the time of booking or on arrival and no one at our table was celebrating. The waiter came over and he had a snippy little attitude. We ordered appetizers and had full intention of ordering wine and mains but our waiter had a face when we didn’t order the tasting menu. Then I looked over to the open kitchen. I love watching chefs cook and plate, but what I saw would NEVER pass in the states. Not one chef was wearing gloves. I saw hands on food and knew that was it.

The food was very salty. Ceviche was fish with a yuca crisp and actually inedible. The La Coliflor - roasted Cauliflower was a bit better but not award winning. One of our friends ordered a steak dish that was ok but definitely not 5 star.

Then came the bill… snotty waiter wasn’t happy we didn’t order more. My husband got the bill and realized they didn’t add the bar bill, he told the guy who was actually upset it was more work for him. I guess honesty is more work.

Now for the clincher… after the bill was paid, nasty waiter came to the table with a piece of cake,a scoop of ice cream and a candle. We told him it’s not ours. After reading the reviews… maybe the manager should pay more attention to celebrations … because it actually mean something to the person celebrating… and not the table you mistook for having a celebration.

We left and...

Carmen, Medellín: Once a Favourite, Now Just Familiar

I used to rave about Carmen. For two years, it was my favourite restaurant in Medellín—hands down. The kind of place I’d eagerly recommend to anyone who asked for a top-tier dining experience in the city. The combination of bold Colombian flavours and innovative cooking had me hooked from the start.

But after countless visits, I can’t help but feel a bit let down. It’s not that the food has become bad. Quite the opposite, actually—it’s still executed with precision, and the ingredients are always fresh. The issue is the menu itself. It hasn’t changed much, if at all, in the time I’ve been coming here. What was once exciting and fresh has become… well, boring.

Take the mains. Sure, they’re as well-crafted as ever, but when you’ve had the same dish several times with no variation, the thrill disappears. I found myself sitting there recently, glancing at the menu, thinking, “I’ve had this all before.” That’s not a feeling you want at a place that’s supposed to be leading the charge in culinary creativity.

Even the desserts, once a highlight of my visits, have lost their allure. It feels like the kitchen is stuck in a rut, playing it safe when they should be pushing boundaries. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate consistency, but not at the cost of excitement.

I want to love Carmen like I used to, but I’m left craving something new, something bold that reminds me why I fell in love with it in the first place. This place still has so much potential, and the foundation is solid, but without shaking things up a bit, it’s hard to keep coming back with the same enthusiasm.

So, with a heavy heart, I’m giving it three stars instead of five. The food’s still good, the service is as polished as ever, and the ambiance remains a draw. But as a regular, I’m hungry for something fresh—and I hope Carmen can...