Gran Colombia Restaurant — Restaurant in Jersey Village

Edit: We’ve been given rotten food four times now, three times it was the Morcilla, and once we were given beans that were way passed.

This is unacceptable and so I must change my review on here, and this is very disappointing being of Colombian background myself. How The people preparing the food or packaging. It couldn’t smell how awful and rotten the food was is absolutely ridiculous, so if you eat here, make sure you’re sitting down, because there’s a really good chance that you’ll end up taking home some bad food, and although they sort of made it up to us this last time, the other times we were merely offered a substitution, four times is enough.

Can’t trust these people with takeout.

Previous review:

From the moment you step into El Gran Colombia, you're immediately enveloped in an atmosphere that's both warm and culturally rich. This restaurant is not just a place to dine; it's an experience that takes you on a culinary journey straight to the heart of Colombia.

First and foremost, their Bandeja Paisa and Morcilla is ridiculously good. This dish is a Colombian classic, and this place executes it perfectly. The flavors are bold and satisfying, the portions generous, and the presentation is outstanding. Every component, from the succulent meats to the perfectly cooked beans, is a testament to authentic Colombian cuisine.

As someone following a Keto diet, I'm not to crazy about dining out, however, El Gran Colombia DOES accommodate dietary restrictions. The staff was more than willing to swap rice out for salad making it easy to stick to my diet without sacrificing flavor, and they even went the extra mile to serve it on the side as a house salad (when you order it To-Go, they put the meats on top of the salad).

The ambiance only adds to the dining experience. The restaurant is clean and smells nice. The decor features beautiful Colombian artifacts, murals, traditional textiles, and other ornate decorations fill the space, making you feel like sort of like you're in a Colombian family's home...well, not really (I'm Colombian and have lived mostly in the US, but have also visited family in Bogota, Cartagena and a few other places).

But what truly sets this place apart is its service.

From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm smiles and attentive care; The staff was knowledgeable about the menu, prompt in their service, and always checked in to ensure we were enjoying our meal. Their genuine friendliness made us feel more like guests than customers.

In conclusion, El Gran Colombia offers a dining experience that is a cut above the rest. From the mouth-watering Bandeja Paisa, Morcilla and other Colombian staples, to the impeccable service and the accommodating options for those on specialized diets; this restaurant ticks all the boxes.

If you're looking to immerse yourself in genuine Colombian cuisine without leaving town or breaking the bank, then I implore you to try El...

We ate there often when we resided in Houston and were ecstatic when they reopened down the street after Hurricane Harvey. We relocated to Austin in 2020 and always eat there when we are in town. The food is usually delicious and portions are generous. The decor and atmosphere are great, too.

Unfortunately, we were there this past Sunday, August 14th, 2022 and the server looked tired and had a lot of tables to serve. We understood her position and did not take offense when she didn't check on us or forgot something. The food runner whose name I believe was Ranso, Rami, or something like that, left much to be desired. His navy blue mask was on his chin showing his hairy beard. He was very short, both in stature and demeanor, and rude. He put the napkin he was using to hold one of our dishes on the food itself. Gross! When my husband and I asked if we could get two replacement arepas because we had given ours to our daughters, since they were hard as rocks, he said they were supposed to be hard, walked away and never came back. I am Colombian and have had arepas my entire life. They are not meant to be that hard. You should be able to bite into them without fear of breaking your teeth. We also told our server and even gave her the hard arepas. She held them and agreed they were super hard, but never offered a replacement or solution. When the food runner brought food to our neighboring table, my husband waved him down and once again mentioned the arepas were so hard we could not eat them and that we had even told the server and she had agreed. He said they were meant to be hard and once again walked away.

Now, I'm not a restaurant owner or anything, but I know customer service and food and an arepa could not possibly cost that much. We were not impressed by the service we received this time, so we only tipped 20% and I should mention our bill was over $100. I typically take pan de bono and other baked goods to go, but didn't this time due to this subpar service and disappointing experience.

We are longstanding clients and will probably end up going back when we are in town because the sad reality is that you are much closer than Miami, which is the only place we have been able to find authentic and good Colombian food in the states. Do better,...

I went on Saturday feb 29th around 2 p.m. table 2. We got a table very fast and we were asked for drinks. It took forever to order because the waitress didn't bring the water so we didn't place the order inmediatly. I ordered an appetizer because I was so hungry so I needed something while I was waiting. I ordered a chicken soup and I asked to change the plantain for tostones. I verified the order was clear. The time kept passing and the food was not ready yet. The people next table, arrived after us and they were already eating same appetizer I ordered and mine, never arrived. After a too long wait, I went to asked the owner and just for that reason, my order came to my table in 2 minutes. I had to cancel the appetizer because it was not right to bring the appetizers with the entrees. Finally I started eating and the change of the plantain, never happend. It was the worst attention ever. Never got water refill. The waitress said it was because they run out of rice and the kitchen staff got confused because of that. Really? It was to much drama from the waitress. She was not ready to be attending clients yet. She needs more skills. The food was ready but she was not. It was a very...