Bogota Latin Bistro — Restaurant in New York

[Review of 4/27/24 Visit] If you have been to Colombia before and want a reminder of your experience there, then visit Bogotá Latin Bistro! Come for the authentic Colombian food / drinks, as well as vibrant ambiance, but stay for the exceptional service. I had moved back to NYC after spending some time in Colombia, and I visited Bogotá Latin Bistro to reconnect with that beautiful country. My visit exceeded my expectations.

The ambiance at Bogota Latin Bistro strikes the perfect balance between cozy and lively, with decor of Colombian colors and "rolo" (Bogota) decorations and a variety of Latin music that instantly lifts up your spirits. Whether you're here for a meal with friends or for a casual date with someone, the restaurant's welcoming vibes make you feel right at home. In my case, I ate alone and admired the interesting Colombian artwork and tchotchkes lining the restaurant walls.

The menu celebrates the rich flavors and ingredients of Colombia. From classic arepas and empanadas to mouthwatering bandeja paisa, which I ordered, the menu makes me want to return to Bogota Latin Bistro at least 2 or 3 more times to taste the items I haven't tried yet. I also took the opportunity to try the "Boozy Brunch" special in which I enjoyed different mimosas containing juice from fruits common to Colombia, such as maracuya and lulo. Qué rico!! Yummy!

What truly sets Bogota Latin Bistro apart from the other Colombian restaurants I've visited in Manhattan and Brooklyn is the exceptional service from the waitstaff. An incredible, lovely woman from Bogota, named Valentina, served my table and she made my visit memorable. With her warmth and happy attitude, she reminded me of the many amazing Colombians I know from Bogota and Medellin. I asked her if I could order in Spanish so that I could practice my Spanish, and she didn't hesitate to speak clearly and slowly en espanol to me so that I could understand her. In addition, when she asked me what foods I missed eating in Colombia, I mentioned that I missed having fruit "salpicon". And later on in my meal, when I was ready to enjoy another mimsoa, she surprised me with a "salpicon mimosa" containing juices from various Colombian fruits, which I enjoyed so much! Also, during our conversation, I had mentioned the name of a song that I liked from a popular singer from Medellin. And to my pleasant surprise, I heard that same song playing in the restaurant a few minutes later on! Valentina's attention-to-detail (and her patience with my mediocre Spanish, haha) makes me want to return to Bogota Latin Bistro as soon...

The best restaurant I've gone to in the United States if you've got an allergy or dietary restriction hands down!

I was looking for a celiac friendly restaurant to take someone to, and it was recommended as not being far from the Brooklyn Museum, where we were coming from. Needed many gluten-free options with low risk of cross contamination.

Asked the host. She smiled and went on and on about how they've got a separate prep area, fryalaters, etc. showed me the menu with dietary restrictions clearly spelled out.

The kid went gaga with the menu. Such hungry eyes as he isn't used to having so many choices.

We ordered: virgin Pina colada, tortilla soup, ropa vieja, chicken Empanada, maduros, chicken encrusted with plantain with mango bbq sauce, and chips with guacamole. Green plantains.

Pina colada was made without a mix. Shared with the kid. He loved it!!!

My wife loved the soup. The kid didn't care for it as he's used to an Americanized Mexican version. Columbian is quite different. More leftovers for her! HUGE portion for $11. Consider it a meal in itself.

My wife loved the ropa vieja but barely made a dent. Kid tried it.

Empanada was a huge hit with the kid, as were the plantains and guacamole. We all shared it, and I fought for the guacamole. So good! Chips didn't seem like they were made on premises but were fine.

My wife and I enjoyed the chicken. Only finished half. Two huge slices of chicken. Took home half. Had to ask for more sauce.

Staff kept our drinks topped off. Picked up things the kid dropped several times. Very careful with dietary restrictions and knew all recipes immediately when asked. Host had already made server and kitchen aware.

Extremely affordable for nyc for authentic Columbian cuisine.

This kid is begging his parents to return!

Got GF needs? Come here. Want great Columbian food? You've found it.

The entire bill came...

On January 20th I called to place an order for pickup. I was told by Jessie on the phone that they cannot take pick up orders on the phone. She stated I could either order through several different apps or in person in the restaurant. I have worked in the restaurant industry for over 15 years and have never heard of such a thing.

There are only three reasons I can think of as to why this would be the policy is;

1- They are afraid someone will order and not pick up leaving them stuck with the order. If that's the case an easy fix is to only allow call aheads if they pay in advance. Every normal restaurant does this.

2- The second reason which also makes no sense would be that the can't be bothered to spend 30 seconds taking your card info.

3- They don't trust there own employees to take card info.

Regardless of what it is it's counterproductive. I was driving home and I wanted to order ahead so the food would be ready when I arrived. Instead I head to pull over to order on an app because the restaurant can't be bothered with taking an order over the phone.

When I arrived to pick up the order I asked to speak to the manager who I was told was Areef. The hostess asked what the issue was and I asked if I could just speak to the manager. She picked up the phone and after a minute on the phone with whoever it was she was talking to she said he was at a meeting and couldn't speak to me.

Again working in restaurants for over 15 years meeting are never held during the dinner rush (this was at 630 pm). What if someone in the restaurant needed a manager? Would no one be available? He was simply dismissing me. If the owner is reading please find out what meeting was occurring at that time and why your floor was left unattended.

These 2 situations alone are part of restaurant 101. If they can't get these things right how can...